Carina Black: Child of Prophecy, Child of Power
by Dialux
Summary: When Walburga Black gives birth, she gives birth not to one child, but to twins- Sirius and Carina Black. Sirius's destiny is one we know- one of loyalty and heartbreak, but Carina's is far, far different. Raised to change the world, she knows her destiny like the back of her hand. But when her ambitions are challenged by family, morality, and Lord Voldemort, how does she react? AU
1. Chapter 1: Prologue

**Hi Everyone! I'm back, and this time, it isn't a oneshot! I intend to keep updating this fic for quite some time- the plot is actually quite well hashed out, I just have to make the real writing. Now, I know this is actually really short, but I daresay it's just a teaser for the real action... Next chapter has one of the main characters/ villains and Carina's young childhood being revealed. As of right now, I will be going pretty quickly through her early years and only really stopping to show her motivations behind her ambitions. The real action and meat of the plot should begin in another four or five chapters, I'm not sure yet. Hope you enjoy, and make sure you take special care of the prophecy. It's actually really important throughout the entire plot... - Dialux**

* * *

_In the Dark of the Twilight, 'midst the House of Night comes forth the Child of the Dweller of the Sea_

_In the Dark of the Twilight, 'midst the House of Night weeps a Child of Power shed by a Mother's Plea_

_In the Dark of the Twilight, 'midst the House of Night will the Death and Birth Herald a New Life_

_In the Dark of the Twilight, 'midst the House of Night will the Savior and Doom of the World arise_

_In the Dark of the Twilight, 'midst the House of Night will the Forgotten and the Remembered Join_

_In the Dark of the Twilight, 'midst the House of Night will the Fate of the World be decided once more!_

\- _The Ancient Prophecy, Druid Lore_

* * *

Orion Black stood outside his wife's room in St. Mungo's, waiting to hear the results of the labor she had been in for over ten hours. He'd heard the wailing of an infant four hours ago, but for some reason, no one had opened the door to see him.

It wasn't that he loved his wife enough to truly care what happened to her- no, he couldn't care less about his wife. But Walburga Black still carried his Heir, and as the next in line for the Headship of the Black family, Orion knew he needed an Heir, or the chances of Arcturus passing him over and going directly to Cygnus, who already had two children- even if they were _girls_\- would be very, very high.

And finally, finally, the door opened, and a young woman with curly red hair- Mudblood, Orion thought disgustedly- emerged and told him he could come in to see his wife and children.

Wait. Orion, in the process of stepping foot into the room, froze. Children? As in _more than one _child? The only way that would- could- happen was if Walburga had…

And yes, his thought were confirmed when he saw the two bundles wrapped neatly beside their mother.

Twins.

Two of them- one a girl, one a boy. Thankfully, the boy was the elder, was his Heir, and so, as Orion stepped forward, he decided to christen him first.

The baby looked up at him, bright gray eyes flickering away, unable to truly focus, but somehow still beautiful in its intensity. Orion had thought he knew what he would name his son, but now, standing before him, his mind changed.

"You, my Heir, shall be named after my grandfather and his Head, Sirius. You, my boy, shall be the star of brightness, of the greatest potential, that drowns out all else in the night sky. May you flourish for it."

With a stiff nod, he turned to look at the girl. She was slightly thinner, her features more reminiscent of Orion's mother, Melania, than anything. Her eyes, however, were the same blue-gray that every Black Heir had. That a girl- a younger one, nonetheless, was endowed with it was quite rare. "And to you, my First Daughter, shall I name you Carina, the Keel of the Ship. As the first of your name," and here, Orion's voice dropped to a whisper, "may you be the guider and forger of you destiny."

He nodded once, decisively, and turned away from the children and the Mudblood Healer to look at his wife, still recuperating on the bed. "I shall send Tokix to you in the morning. Be ready for it."

Walburga's heavy face remained the cool, impassive mask it had been since he'd entered the room. Her only reaction to his words was a simple nod. Orion, tired and hungry, turned to leave the room when he heard her. "Wait!"

He glanced back, arching an eyebrow. Walburga was visibly struggling with herself, before she asked quietly, "What have you named our children?"

His eyes' narrowed. Walburga had been given freedom in her life- far more than a normal pureblooded female would be granted. But addressing the children as hers- implying that she was equal to him- was something even Orion would not tolerate. "_My Heir _is named after my grandfather. Sirius is a fine name for any boy."

She drooped, her body stilling into the submissive position of a wife, until she seemed to drag up the dregs of her courage to look her husband in the eye and ask him, voice quiet enough that he might pretend to dismiss it if he wasn't paying attention, "And ou- the girl?"

He pursed his lips, but finally Orion returned, "Carina. The Keel of the Ship."

Walburga recoiled. "Bu- But none have carried the name before! Sh-She will have a destiny- Orio- Orion! Please reconsider!" Her hands scrabbled over the bedspreads as she arched her body to try to change his mind.

His eyes narrowed back at her, hardly knowing why he said the words he did, only knowing he had to, before hissing simply, "Then she shall make it."

And without further ado, he left the hospital.

Orion Black would have no idea that his actions would change the World as he knew it forever.


	2. Chapter 2: Forgotten and Found

**Hello everybody! This chapter is actually really early because I managed to edit it tonight, so here it is... As promised, one of the major characters is introduced in this chapter, and I want to put it out there right now that she is one of those "Snape" characters, for lack of a better word. She is far, far more complicated than you guys probably imagined (she isn't all good or all bad) so just hang on for the ride. Enjoy!**

**\- Dialux**

* * *

_I have never seen a child of such determination, nor such potential._

_\- Morgana le Fay (Priestess of Avalon, Oathsworn of Merlin)_

* * *

Carina's early years were no different from any pureblooded child- she ate, slept, and played with the best toys available to a Wizard- or Witch, in this case. She was roomed with her brother, but, to the amazement of all observants, no bond had been displayed.

This was fascinating, because, in the Wizarding World, there were multiple kinds of bonds- the bond between husband and wife, between Lord and Oathsworn, even between those that swore Unbreakable Vows. However, the bond between twins overlaid all that. One could marry, become Oathsworn, and swear thousands of Unbreakable Vows, but the one thing that could not- would not- be allowed, by _magic itself_, was a severing of the bond between twins.

And the House of Black had not had twins in over a century. These were a rarity, but somehow, neither seemed to have an instinctive knowledge of their twin, which surprised some, irritated others, and outright dismayed Orion, Walburga, and Arcturus.

As the children grew older, however, Sirius began his lessons. They were not all lessons in Magic, as ignorant Muggleborns and Halfbloods preached, but rather all-encompassing tutoring in poise, politics, history, and the Black Family Heritage. This might not have been a problem. However, Carina's actions were. She threw a fit; for the first time in the memory of her parents, she actually screamed and threw items, reduced to begging in an attempt to receive the same lessons as her brother and twin.

Both Walburga and Orion refused, though.

What no one had ever dreamed was that Carina would go on her own. 12 Grimmauld Place had many secret passageways, as befitted an old home built and maintained by a family of paranoid, Dark Wizards and Witches. Carina used them to their maximum potential.

From her room to Sirius's tutor's room in order to find out what was going on. Then from there to the library, desperately trying to keep up through self-tutoring. She was careful- her parents would not be lenient if she was caught- but Regulus, her younger brother, certainly helped her in that regard.

No Dark Family usually had much respect for women, save the few Matriarchal lines as opposed to the traditional Patriarchal. Furthermore, without any twinbond, Carina was useless to the family. Discarded and forgotten as so much used cloth, Carina grew up with a grim determination to not be outshined by her brother and family.

And so, when she was six, she began her first forays into actual magic.

* * *

Sirius had begun it much, much earlier, but she was certain her magic had not matured yet. A Witch's Magic matured and stabilized a few years after a Wizard's, as opposed to their body, and so, had Carina tried anything, she probably would have, at best, blown something up, at worst killed their entire family and completely destroyed the part of London they were in.

By the time it had matured, he was several key lessons ahead of her.

* * *

This wouldn't do! This wouldn't do at all! Carina's hopeless face sank into her arms as she fought with her tears. She had been trying, hopelessly, to create a simple Colour-Change spell on her hair. It hadn't worked, and the long nights- something she was used to, no matter how strange it was to see a six year old child who could survive reasonable well on only six hours of sleep- were taking their toll on her. She could survive for a week or two on six hours, but more than that was a toss-up. And she'd have to show her face to her mother or father sometime this week, so that they didn't go searching for her, which heightened the possibility of being found out.

She could have survived another short, short night, she thought disparagingly, if only she could have gotten the charm to work.

But it seemed she was doomed to failure, because as she reached for something within her to answer her call to _change, goddamn it, she knew she had the power_ nothing had stirred inside her. Finally, she glared at herself. Carina could do magic, she was sure of it. She had seen her brother's magic, and her own far outstripped his. And her magic had stabilized, so what was stopping her?

She had a small inkling that it had to do with the fact that she was neglected. Growing up encouraged to keep quiet and be unobtrusive, Carina's emotions had been held tightly under control for most of her life. And wandless magic- what she was attempting to do, because trying to do _wanded _magic was something not even the most ambitious tried until they were eight- required emotions to work.

But _goddammit _she was a _witch! _She could handle this problem, it was a small one, really, when compared with the fact that her parents had thought her unworthy of being given private lessons, and she had stolen into heavily warded rooms to steal information for _months_ before she had worked out another way to do it.

She glared at herself again, and focused, feeling her rage and humiliation and sheer, sheer jealousy when she had been left behind by her brother and her _twin _and her parents.

And, quite suddenly, something shifted. And the smell of jasmine, twined with the heady scent of rosemary filled the room.

Perhaps it was the axis of the world. Perhaps it was something that only Carina had felt, but she didn't see how that was possible. Because suddenly, everything was sharp. Colors danced along the edges of her vision, and magic swirled through the air, heavy, fairly drowning her in warmth before she remembered herself enough to raise her head.

Everything felt so easy, now. Changing the color of her hair, oh, how pathetically, dimwittedly she had thought it the height of her powers, she could do far more than just that- she could level the house, she could _change the world! _she could-

But all thoughts of her power and _could-would-should _was stopped, when she was suddenly frozen in place by the arrival of another's magic.

Cold and sharp and heavy, with the touch of winter fog, it filled the room, fingers of frost reaching up the ceiling and across the windowpanes until Carina could see her terrified reflection in them. The magic reached, tendrils swirling about the air in lazy sworls before it touched her magic. As if in response, the magic thickened, coalescing into a heavier version, almost gently nudging hers. Panicking, Carina gave way between the second nudge and the third, scrambling backwards as her magic flared around her.

And the wind _howled. _It tore into her, ripping away her clothes and her shields, leaving her raw, opened, abandoned. Curling in on herself, Carina thought desperately of the uselessness of disobeying her parents' commands. This wasn't likely to have come from them, as neither were powerful enough to have magic such as this, and so, she would most likely die, and they would never know the cause of it.

However, when no killing blow came, she finally uncurled and glanced upwards. What was there made her forget any and all thoughts of becoming a faithful daughter, because standing there, in the middle of her room, was a beautiful woman.

She was tall, her hair a black mass that tumbled down her shoulders in wild carelessness, and her clothes were as rich as befit a Queen. The imperious expression on her face certainly gave rise to that possibility. Her skin, however, gave away the fact that she was no true human.

She was a Magical Construct.

Carina's mind raced through the possibilities and ideas found there. There hadn't been a Magical Construct in the Wizarding World in over a thousand years. They were lost, forgotten. Only people of great power could ever become one, and only if a specific set of criteria was ever fulfilled. The criteria had never been detailed in her books, however, only stating them to be a secret lost to time. One of the reasons they were so rare, however, was that they were bound to a bloodline- a Family. All the Most Ancient and Noble Houses were said to have them, but each household could only ever call them forth if the Magical Constructs desired to come, but more so, if the tasks for doing so were followed to the letter.

That they all required doing so through ignorance was not a mistake.

But she was getting off topic. Magical Constructs were rare and forgotten, yes. What few ever considered was that calling one forth was a double edged sword. After calling them, one was bound to them, until they let the person go, or the person defeated them. Furthermore, once defeating them, they gave one their knowledge and experiences, and left the person to become a Magical Construct upon that person's natural death. However, life as a Magical Construct was hardly appealing. One lived in a sort of limbo, and the only magical power that could ever be channeled through into the real world was through the person who called them.

But then the woman spoke, and Carina was dragged through the murky world of half-possibilities and theories into the real one, one where the woman was gazing at her. "Who has called me?"

The promise of retribution was plain. But Carina also knew that the woman was no fool. If she attacked Carina for nothing more than calling her, she would be treated as a Lady who had abused their Oathsworn- most heavily. And so, she decided to risk speaking. "My name is Carina Black, Lady," she offered a courteous bow before continuing carefully, "And I am second Heir to the current Heir Black." When the woman still didn't appear inclined to interrupt, she went on, "Might I ask who you are?"

The woman flicked her fingers back at her and rose, waving the question away. "You have called me, your House Construct." When Carina almost made a sound of protest, the woman's eyes narrowed dangerously. Carina fell silent. "I assume you know your duty to me."

Carina was getting angry. Her questions went unanswered, a clear insult to her intelligence, and now the woman went on to make assumptions about her- never mind that they were correct. In a spurt of hot defiance, she answered, "And your duty to me."

The woman _grinned. _Then her face became impassive once more, before she nodded. "I offer you the chance to renege." When Carina was looking at her rather suspiciously, she went on, "for nothing in return."

Carina almost melted in relief before nodding. But before she could verbally dissolve the contract, the woman murmured, "However, I can teach you."

Carina froze. And the woman went on. "I warn you now, if you intend to answer my call, you will hate me. I will be your most hated person. I will make you cry and hurt and bleed. You will curse me until the end of your days. I will break you."

"Then why would anyone agree?"

She smiled back, and this time, there was nothing even remotely human in her gaze. It was all flat, cold, brittle, _alien_ knowledge and amusement. "Because I will remake you. I will forge you into the Queen you are meant to be."

Carina had almost dismissed her again when the woman whispered, "The world shall kneel at your feet. The people shall cry your name. _Your family will never forget you._" Carina didn't know if it was a blind shot in the dark or actual knowledge, but that was one thing she had always yearned for with all her heart. She paled and gazed at the woman, now greedily drinking in her words.

"They shall answer your every whim and you shall be their Queen and Lady of their hearts. None shall even _think _evil of you before they shall be struck do-"

Carina interrupted. "My Aunt Druella told me that all I was good for was to be the wife a Pureblood Lord."

The woman's eyes narrowed and her lip curled. "No woman is meant for only that, little girl. Least of all you. Believe me, I have felt your power. If all you are meant for is to be a man's wife, then I-"

Again, Carina interrupted. "So you disagree with her."

The woman, this time, froze. Then, carefully, she nodded. Her wariness both amused and cautioned Carina- it wouldn't do to antagonize her first ally needlessly. But the woman's caution said one thing- she believed Carina an adult. She was willing to treat her as one.

But better yet, to think of her as a real threat.

Oh, Carina knew that it was useful to be underestimated. How many had been defeated because they believed their enemies weaker than they actually were? But it felt so very _good _to be taken seriously.

"I accept your bonds and offer you my Allegiance."

The words were forced past stiff lips that belied her true feelings. But her reluctance to swear was not feigned- Carina would have preferred to be on equal terms with this woman, but things couldn't be stopped now.

The woman nodded, a hint of smugness visible in her regal features. "And I accept your Allegiance and offer my knowledge."

Carina nodded back, the curtness still there. "I accept."

The formal words were finished, and the woman turned away. "I shall see you next week, little girl. Be ready."

Just as the first hints of sunrise began making their way into the room, the woman began to fade away, along with the last vestiges of the adrenaline that pumped in Carina's veins, leaving her feeling both woozy and very, very tired. Dear Merlin, _what had she done? _But there was nothing for it- she was far too tired to think of the consequences and reactions to her actions just then, when, quite suddenly, a thought made itself known to her. Before the woman completely disappeared, Carina threw out her hands. "Wait! Stop!"

The woman turned back, arching an eyebrow questioningly. "Wha-What is your name? I- don't you think I should know it? I mean, for our training sessions…" she trailed off questioningly.

The woman smiled again, that ferally grim, _alien _smile, before she nodded. "You may call me… Morgana. Morgana Le Fay."

Then, with a final swirl of her robes, she was gone, as if she had never existed in the first place, leaving a gaping six year old looking after her.


	3. Chapter 3: A History of Pain

**Hi Everyone! You should expect updates around this often (a week) so look out for the next one! I just put this chapter up a couple minutes ago, but the formatting was off. I just reposted it... Enjoy! **

**-Dialux **

* * *

_Chaotic Magic is the Magic in our blood and in our world. All humans were born of Chaotic Magic, but we Wizards are far closer to the Earth than any other. Chaos is our home, and Order is our natural foe. _

_\- Merlin (Lord of Morgana, Court Wizard of Arthur, First Dark Lord, Last of the Ancients)_

* * *

Carina had spent a lifetime being ignored- however short said lifetime was, it didn't take away from the fact that certain abilities were honed and cultivated into a skill- and resultantly, she was completely unused to the idea that she had to actually put in _more _effort than what she wanted.

Determined Heiress to a Pureblood family she might be, but she was still six.

And Morgana Le Fay certainly didn't provide much of a cushion if she complained. The first time Carina had whinged during one of their lessons, she had been hoisted up, Morgana's magic holding her aloft as the rest of her shrieked in fear.

"You have sworn Allegiance to me, little girl." Her voice had dropped to a low murmur that did little to assuage Carina's sudden fear. "And as such, I expect some… respect. If you have none, then give me your magic and your family might send you off to live with Muggles if you truly wish that.

"_Do you understand me?"_

Carina had nodded and obeyed. She knew better, now, than to say anything against Morgana's teachings, but her resolve was tested daily- especially with the addition of fencing, knife-throwing, and the esoteric branch of dueling that dealt with both physical and magical types of fighting. Perhaps the hardest thing to deal with was the fact that her mind soon wouldn't be considered private any more- Morgana was beginning to teach her the basics of Legilimency and Occlumency, and their first lesson was quite a disaster.

* * *

"Clear your mind!"

Carina had barely managed to hide her resentful thoughts behind a thin veil before her mind had been thoroughly ransacked, leaving her panting on the floor, involuntary tears flowing down her face. Trying to guide Morgana away from those memories- which would most definitely result in either a magical or physical beating- was a lesson in futility.

Her magic, which some used to try to defend themselves when Occlumency wasn't enough, was not developed enough, nor controlled enough, and the end result was an eight year old girl whose mind might have been absolutely broken had Morgana not pulled out when she did. She had barely recovered enough to not lose complete control of her magic and blow them all sky-high before Morgana invaded once more.

This time, her probe was not half as gentle- apparently a punishment for her unkind thoughts before- and Carina barely stood the onslaught for seven seconds before she was overrun once more.

Again and again it went, before Morgana finally sniffed in deep, deep disgust before she turned away. "I shall see you in a week, little girl. I expect you to be better."

* * *

Their relationship was certainly a stormy one, with Carina quietly simmering in rage-turned-hatred at the woman who had managed to transform a quiet, hidden life into one that even a hardened Auror would balk at, and Morgana expecting more and more of the "little girl" she trained- far more than a single person would ever have been able to give- even more apparent in her treatment of Carina when she failed at any duty that she set her; it didn't matter how harsh or unrealistic those expectations were.

However, there was one area in which Carina had gone above and beyond Morgana's deepest hopes- she, where any other child would have been broken and completely shattered, had a deep well of emotion hidden inside that Morgana had never expected of the near-emotionless girl, that led to a cold defiance that lent her well to Morgana's plans.

Morgana, however, had always had a tragic flaw- she failed to recognize her enemies until it was far too late. On the battlefield, where she ought to have been the victor, Merlin had distracted her while her love had crept up behind her and stabbed her, quite literally, in the back.

And in this, she failed to recognize Carina as anything more than a child.

* * *

Carina hated her mentor, but at the same time, she loved her. It was because of Morgana that she had ever become anything more than a simple witch who would have been married off like chattel as soon as possible, but the woman had also punished her far more than any other person could have.

Magic, and bones were all torn and broken by Morgana, and Carina had no ability to defend herself save her mind, which had been invaded as well. There was, quite absolutely, no one she could turn to, no one who could help her, and even worse, no one who would believe her.

But, as her studies in strategy and politics showed, it was not a Witch who made an army, but her followers. And followers would only ever follow those with power- which she would be the first to admit was a precious commodity she did not possess at the moment. And knowledge was power.

To an eight year old, that was quite a leap of thinking, but Carina had always been precocious.

So she went to the library.

* * *

The Black family library was huge. And Dark. And dangerous.

An eight year old girl should have been eaten alive by fear and terror and sheer horror at the gruesomeness of some books, but Carina Black was no normal eight year old girl.

She _devoured. _

If knowledge was power, and she needed power to build an army, by the Gods above, she would get that power. So days and nights were spent in the library, carefully reading books and committing them to memory through the careful use of Occlumency.

Morgana might be able to break through the barriers on her mental library, so the first thing she looked up was a Notice-Me-Not Charm on the entrance to the library. Once her magic was under enough control, she intended to place a Fidelius and store all the knowledge safely. Carina learned everything she could, practiced day in and day out, and finally managed to control her magic.

Magic was precious, and Carina couldn't afford to lose any of the slight status she held in the Family as the First Daughter of the First Son of the Head. Control of her magic was an unsavory business, because it felt more like a dog tied to a leash and fighting to get out all the time. At some point, it would become an unconscious instinct, but having even the slight control was more than ninety-five percent of the population had before they turned eleven.

But the _point _to her control of magic was so that other things became easier- things like power and her family and her power _inside _the family.

So that was how she found herself in this room, watching the other kids warily as she waited for the perfect time to start her plan. Perhaps it was luck, perhaps it was the Fates, but all Carina knew was that in the very moment the Head, Arcturus, entered the room, Bellatrix stumbled and fell.

The rest of them had already fallen to their knees in a show of respect, heads bowed, but Bellatrix's stumble was considered a disgrace to her parents who should have already trained her in the art of being a lady. She should never have done more than step forward a few, delicate steps before regaining her balance and sweeping a deeper bow than normal if she wished to keep their honor as high as it was.

The training and judgment for all this had been decided within moments of the actual event, though none would speak until Arcturus had allowed them to.

And he would- in a normal Family Meeting.

But Carina had no intention of allowing that to happen.

She had not knelt when the others had, her head held high, eyes glinting in a strange sort of defiance. She had not been to one of these in years, but she knew enough to understand that any words spoken now would mark the end of her nonexistence in the House of Black.

For a moment she mourned that anonymity, but she further knew that doing anything else of the sort was impossible. As Godric Gryffindor once said, "we can only go further on this path that we began with Merlin. We can look backwards, we can turn around so that the fall is not visible to us, but we cannot walk back." By the Gods of Heaven and Hell, she would walk this path.

Arcturus, by this time, had noticed her. His eyes narrowed before returning to an impassive mask, and his gaze swept over her once before he spoke. "You know the Rituals of the Black Family, young one."

_What is with the Elders in my life calling me little? _

But Carina was far too well trained to react beyond a cool arching of her brow. "I know that much and more, Elder."

The rest of the family's reaction had certainly been noteworthy- Carina could even feel waves of amusement from Morgana, indicating she stood close by her- with her mother trying to desperately signal to Carina to shut up, and her brothers staring at her as if they'd never seen her before. But it was Arcturus who worried her the most. His eyes had widened at the old term, but the fact that he had reacted at all was telling of his all-encompassing knowledge of the Rituals. No one had used the term Elder in over a century- mainly because it implied a respect given to a person's age rather than their status in the Hierarchy.

"Perhaps you should speak more of this esoteric knowledge that you possess, young one."

"Yes, I probably should." Carina's lips tightened at that last admission before she controlled herself once more and looked at the man coolly. She had no intention of pushing the old man beyond his boundaries and removing any chance of his protection, but she still refused to give up any valuable information, but decoys and evasions were not of no importance. And in this dangerous game she was playing, appearances were everything.

She couldn't- wouldn't- leave this Manor without the protection of the Black Head.

Her mother had always coveted power, and her father had proved himself stupid enough years ago. Carina's brothers were strong enough that they didn't need her protection, and she truly disliked her parents. Arcturus was the one person who could give her power and still take her away from her parents, so she would ensure that he protected her. Playing them against each other- her parents and the Head- was going to be not only amusing to watch, but a lesson in power. Which meant that she would give information- not sensitive, but enough- to get his attention and his interest.

Then she'd sit back and watch the fireworks.

"Then follow me, young one."

Carina had created this plan, almost Gryffindorish in its lack of subtlety in the primary stages, but yet not so in the latter- that took some delicate finagling and pushing, a gentle reconnaissance that gave a set of limits to be obeyed. Morgana had warned her that she was not experienced enough to do this, but Carina knew she had only given way because she thought it would be a lesson in arrogance.

The first lesson Carina had learnt was that for any battle fought, one must be willing to pay the consequences of failure. And in this war, she couldn't afford a single misstep, nor a single person to realize the truth. The price of failure had been raised drastically, and she knew the consequences. She was walking into a battlefield with eyes wide open, knowing the weapons she had might not be enough.

_What have I done?_


	4. Chapter 4: Release the Dogs of War

**Hi Everyone! Again, this is a couple days early. This is really just a filler chapter, so enjoy! Reviews are welcome!**

**-Dialux**

* * *

_In the last days of the Founders Four, as they called themselves, a great disagreement was visible to the outside world- shocking because they had famously kept such arguments private. History has shown us the victor of the battle, but was there a shield of privacy kept- a double blind that not even Helga Hufflepuff- only author of the Four- knew of? That story, regrettable, has been lost to the ages._

\- _Hogwarts, a History (self-updating copy, circa 1960)_

* * *

Most Muggleborns never learnt the delicate structure of the Wizarding World- a structure that was so fragile, and so strong at the same time. They assumed that the World they stepped into was akin to another country- with different customs and different history, but similar nonetheless.

They were all fools.

Had they approached the Wizarding World with something akin to a person speaking to aliens, they would have been better served. Magic changed people, and those with magic were, on a fundamental level, different from those without.

Thus, their social and familial structures were far, far different from anything any Muggleborn would understand. The Wizengamot, at least, Carina had understood was, on a basic level, similar to the House of Lords or Parliament of the Muggle world. However, what Muggleborn and Muggles didn't realize was that on a familial structure, they were far different.

Bellatrix's fall from grace was not very well received, and had Carina not acted as she had, her family's- her parents in this case, because they were responsible for training her- standing would fall. Any person who acted out of bounds resulted in this, with greater infractions resulting in a more drastic drop. Males were given a little bit more leeway, and children below the age of five were not required to know anything at all. One's blood, carriage, marriage, education, allies, all contributed to the general display of power and one's individual "standings."

Furthermore, in every generation, there was a "First Witch."

In this case, it was Carina's inheritance, by blood, because she was the first female Heir of the Heir of the Head. Of her generation, it was her mantle to bear- but Bellatrix was two years older than her. Older, stronger, and meaner, Bellatrix had held off all challengers for her title for years. A First Witch would have the power and control in the family- just as the First Wizard would in any outside venue, and it was a highly coveted position in not only their family but the entire Wizarding World.

A First Witch's reputation was assumed to be the reputation of the family.

And Bellatrix's reputation, already, was one of vengeance and almost Gryffindorish straightforwardness. None of the famed Black- and Slytherin- subtlety had made itself visible in her. As a result, while Carina had let Bella have a taste of power, it was not meant for Bellatrix. She would take the reins, and it didn't matter how much blood or pain would be caused.

But for all that, Carina needed power- something she sorely lacked. She needed someone in a high place to back her, and that was what her meeting with the Family Head was meant to accomplish- someone in such a high place of authority Bellatrix would be unable to _not _recognize her rising potential.

So she buckled down, and faced the man, her Occlumency shields held high as she waited for him to begin their conversation, as a male Head's right to a female child; to begin the conversation that had the chance to change her life.

* * *

Arcturus gazed at the young woman in front of him, his mind racing even as his face remained impassive. She was certainly impressive; her gaze had walked the fine line behind a lady-like demure and a non-lady like defiance.

What he wanted to know was where she had learned the term "Elder." Did she know its history? Was she aware that by using it, she called herself a name that had been considered Taboo for over three hundred years in the Wizarding World? The way she had said it implied that it was a carrot on a stick, a bait that she used for a far higher purpose. But she was still six years old, so she must have had someone mentoring her. Her parents were most definitely not that mentor.

So what the hell was her game plan?

Arcturus didn't like making deals where he was at a disadvantage. And the fact that it was a six year old who had managed to take the advantage was quite sinful. So, in an attempt to finally break the ice, he spoke. "May I interest you with some tea, young one?"

Her eyes went gratifyingly wide at the measure of politeness he had managed to include in that sentence- he, as Head, was by no means obligated to perform anything so menial as politeness to someone so low in the Hierarchy as Carina. "Y-yes, Elder Black. That would be wonderful."

The perfect opening. "You call me Elder."

* * *

Carina stilled as she heard that. His first sentence had been an opening gambit that revealed almost nothing but served to throw her off balance. And now, he had stated the reason why they were here.

She was young enough that she might be able to get away with pretending to misunderstand, but that misdirection was something that could cost her valuable interest. Time to act. "It is a fine title."

He inclined his head, showing no emotion. "And yet, you state to have knowledge."

Again, Carina froze. His words carried a weight she was not ready to face, and he was being almost Gryffindorishly straightforward in this conversation. She had not been ready for this conversation, and she cursed her arrogance in believing she could hoodwink the man who held her fate in her hands.

But a plan appeared before her, a terrifying idea that could result in either the death of a war he didn't know she was fighting, or a tireless, invaluable ally. A smokescreen was something that was almost as valuable as a clear view- especially when she was trying to hold onto her knowledge. "Indeed, I do, Elder." She took a deep breath, committing herself totally, "tell me, what battles did your father fight in? His name was Sirius the Second, wasn't it?" It was his turn to be thrown off balance as she revealed a depth of knowledge he hadn't expected. She went on blithely, "He died in battle, I heard. A fine man, even if he did leave the Headship to a gawking twenty year old who was barely married and had no sons."

His jaw very nearly dropped at her casual quoting of one of the few Black autobiographies- few because they were a notoriously private family, and it was Arcturus's uncle, Phineas, who had dared to write such a blasphemous book. He had been very nearly disowned, and it was considered an unspoken ban throughout the Black family.

Her blithe statement was further infuriating because Arcturus had been the one to ban the book in the family. It could be taken as a statement of power, or a subtle nugget of information informing him that her parents weren't as committed to the Black family- the Head- as they portrayed themselves to be. How else had she gotten her hands on the book?

Arcturus gazed at her, finally getting intrigued by the girl's calm recollection of information and recital. But how to push her to try to receive the information he wanted- and still leave her, and the other mentor, whoever they might be- in the dark? He sighed inwardly. At a young age, he had learned the importance of appearances. He kept the power in the family not through any inherent magic but through the magic of the regard of the people he "ruled." He had refused to go into politics because he had always been too straightforward, and he knew that while to some, it was a strange thing to think, it was only the truth.

When he called people to his study, they were thrown off balance by his strategy. Or at least what they thought was a strategy. None had learned that the so called strategy was the only way he could gather information.

The darkest secret of his life was that the Sorting Hat had considered him for Gryffindor.

And now a girl who was far more subtle than he ever had been at her age was gazing up at him, eyes shuttered. He had to push for information from this girl, but she was proving to be far more elusive than he had expected. Still, he wasn't going to give up the comforting illusion of secrecy- however much it might be a lie- for a chit of a girl who couldn't understand the honor she was being granted.

In the damned Wizarding World, appearances were everything.

"Tell me, what lessons have your parents placed you in?"

Her eyes hardened, and she looked like one of the Dark Ladies of old for a moment- her expression so severe it might have been carved out of stone. "None, Elder."

Was she deliberately trying to provoke him by calling him Elder? To a muggle, it would have been difficult to understand the tempers challenged by such a word. But a Wizard's life was long, and their memories were longer. Families spanned millennia, and legends were considered history. By calling him an Elder, Carina was renewing a thousand year old battle that had led to the deaths of his father and mother. She was stating, however quietly, that he was a coward for simply accepting their deaths and, furthermore, trying to ignore their sacrifice.

Sacrifice- another major cornerstone to the Wizarding World few knew of until it was too late, and a Dark Lord like Grindelwald popped up and used it to make him more powerful. Ignoring a sacrifice was considered worse than speaking ill of the dead, and he _knew _that she was pushing him, but _goddammit _he also knew she was right.

May the girl burn in hell.

Arcturus gave way. She, despite her age, was far too brilliant to be sent away to someone else to be used or discarded. If he could get her on his side, she would make an ally- and with people as powerfully intelligent as she was, it was better to have them as an ally rather than an enemy.

He knew people like her, and he had no desire to stand in her way when she decided to take on the world. She never took revenge on her enemies, and anyone who stood in her way would be taken down not with any power.

There would be nothing left on their corpses when she was done with them.

"Then we shall have to place you in some, won't we?"

If he played his cards right, the girl would owe him by the time they were done. He had no desire to leave his world debted to anyone, and the girl would surely ask it of him. He wasn't young enough that he would have to face the world she intended to change, and if she would only leave him alone for the rest of his life, he would be glad to support her. It was a singularly Slytherin, selfish reason.

And he wasn't the fucking Head of the Black Family for sixty years because of an accident.

Carina returned his dismissive gesture with an enigmatic smile. She had gotten what she wanted- and more. By the time the day was out, her Family would understand who the real power in her generation was.

It wasn't Bellatrix. It wasn't Sirius.

It was her. And if she had to kill and torture and maim, well then, she would do it. She was a soldier hidden as a leader now, and giving way to a group of children- and, resultantly, losing a war before it began- was not a viable option.

If it killed her she would do what needed to be done.


	5. Chapter 5: New Allies and Old Enemies

**Hi Everyone! This is the latest update, and the real action kinda begins now. I'd also like to take the time to thank all my reviewers for your encouraging words… Any questions are welcome as well. Enjoy!**

**-Dialux**

* * *

_The Wizarding battles of the late eighteenth centuries were a horrific drain on not only the economy, but the entirety of the population as well. To this day, we have never regrouped from the horrible aftereffects and power vacuum left by the deaths of the upstanding citizens of that era. The sole reason that Wizarding Britain has not fallen under France's rule is that Albus Dumbledore is the head of the ICW and has managed to hold back the pushing for it._

_-A History of Magic (Master copy, Third passage to be edited from original)_

* * *

Words carried power in the Wizarding World.

And names carried even more.

It was another reason why muggleborns were considered lowly- they had no history to their name, whereas Sirius had a great-grandfather who had died- no, _sacrificed- _himself for his beliefs, and a great, great-grandfather who had gained an Order of Merlin, Second Class when he was sixteen.

Carina had no history to her name, so she was expected to make one. How to do that when everyone had taken to ignoring her she had no idea, but she also knew she could do this.

They'd returned home, and the result of her meeting with Arcturus had been that her family had- finally- started paying attention to her. Sirius entered her room and awkwardly asked her if she wanted to go flying with him. Her father and mother had not been as obvious as Sirius had, but she had noticed an increased amount of observation all hours of the day.

The night had become the only time she could move freely. All in all, she was waiting for Orion to summon her.

Then, one evening, it came. Carina knew she should try to be wary, but she had managed to get Arcturus's approval- his protection. Neither of her parents could try to force the information out of her, and she was confident enough in her abilities that they couldn't ferret out information she didn't want them to know.

* * *

Orion's study was off the library in a small room, a large rosewood desk situated strategically enough that it served to throw off people when they first entered. Dark maroon-tinted windows spanned the whole back wall, bathing the entire room in a manner that reminded Carina of a slaughter.

At odds with all that, however, are the bookshelves spanning the walls, crammed most inelegantly in piles and stacks.

She'd forgotten that Orion had once been a researcher, and had almost been drafted to become an Unspeakable.

Such a lack of attention might be alright in Sirius, but in her, it could- would, if she wasn't careful- to death.

"You called me, Father?"

Orion stilled, eyes narrowing at her casual disrespect towards him- he, as the older, should have been the one to begin the conversation. Furthermore, she had addressed him as Father, not Heir, which meant that she was trying to push the conversation into more casual grounds. He decided to let it go, for the moment. "Yes, I did, Carina." He motioned for her to sit in one of the seats, "I was just curious."

"Curious about what?"

"You- the presumed First Witch- went to speak to Head Black a few weeks ago."

Carina nodded. "Yes, I did, Father."

Orion was slowly getting frustrated. She was- quite deliberately, he suspected- not answering his implied questions. There must have been something for her to have interested the Head enough to carry his protection. That she wasn't willing to share this with him was regrettable, and even worse was that he and Walburga, not to mention Sirius, had ignored her so long that none of them had a foothold on her.

In other words, she had no reason to like them- or help them. "Is there something of importance to this family that you might wish to tell me?"

Carina smirked back at him, and Orion belatedly realized that he had implied- erroneously, of course- that there was a family within the Family. Or, if she was in a truly vindictive mood, that he was referring to the Family and himself as Head.

He had no idea which was worse at this point in time.

"No, Father. Nothing of importance." Her sweetly saccharine tone grated, and he dismissed her soon after some further pleasantries.

The girl had some skills in speaking and subtlety, and Orion thought, slightly regretfully, had she turned to him and displayed this skill-set before, he might have had a perfect tool under his control. Instead, she had the Head in her pocket, and that was something that he would have wanted to avoid if at all possible.

It wouldn't do to dwell on the past, however.

So Orion turned away from what might have become his greatest success that turned to a failure, and Carina walked away happily ensconced in her knowledge that she was safe- at least until she began Hogwarts.

* * *

Years passed, and the children grew, as they were wont to do. Carina managed to wrest the reins of power from Bellatrix not a few days after her meeting with her father, and she'd kept it ever since. While to many others it might have been surprising to see a six year old hold power over an eight year old, that was a Muggle point of view.

Not a Wizarding one.

* * *

And now, it was Samhain- considered by many to be the most dangerously Dark night in history. Samhain was celebrated by many the whole day- from All Hallow's Eve, more popularly known as Halloween, to November first. But True Samhain was on the midnight of the first night of December, the one moment when the Veil between the worlds was at its thinnest. It marked the turn of the wheel- from the Light to the Dark. Apparently the Spanish celebrated November second as the Day of the Dead, in a silent response to the ancient rituals they didn't know they were aping.

Death and evil were what the Muggles thought would come.

Oh no, it was power- a power that had not been harnessed since the time of Merlin- that came with the closeness of the worlds. Their world was one made up of matter and energy- the excess energy of the Universe had been placed inside humans and thus, they had magic. But the surrounding worlds were heavy, laden with pure energy, and _that _was what bled through on Samhain and Lughnasadh and was sucked away on Imbolc and Beltaine.

However, it was on those four festivals- along with the Summer and Winter Solstice- that the magical creatures of the world gathered in one place.

And it was to them that Carina was going.

The Blacks were hosting a party, but none would realize her absence in the time it took for her to leave for the Gathering and return- if she returned. She hoped.

She was ready, her hair brushed until it shone an Aether black light, as if it was absorbing light as opposed to reflecting it. Her eyes were rimmed with a shimmering blue kohl that made them seem impossible large, and the dress she had crafted with her own hands fell in one smooth wave to the floor. The only adornments she wore were a pair of armlets made of two ouroborous, a snake devouring itself, and a single, jade pendant fashioned in the manner of a rowan tree, and hanging off a necklace of cold iron.

She looked, in essence, quite like a Priestess of old.

* * *

Leaving the party was the easy part. Finding the Gathering, not so much. Additionally, Carina was worried about her actions- they could either make or break this war, and she didn't know how much of a setback it might become if the Fey refused.

She had betted on their acceptance, and that was why she was doing this during a Gathering, not before, but if the Winter Queen refused she knew none of the other races would support her. They had to understand that she was not a normal Witch, but she suspected that they would refuse to do so unless she proved herself first.

Carina had learned from Morgana's mistakes, but even so, there was only so much the arrogant Queen had learned- and there were far too many risks involved with this. She would have liked to turn back and return to the party, but Carina had shed the mask of wide-eyed child when she spoke to her Head, and she had no intention of going back to that unless she was forced to.

Before she could truly make up her mind, however, she heard the faintest strains of music. Any other might have dismissed it as their imagination, but she had been waiting for this sign. Carefully following the notes, she crept onwards, hiding her aura and magic so that none would be aware of her presence until it was too late to stop her.

It was nearly an hour later when Carina finally broke through the hedges into the clearing where the Gathering was held. Larger than a Quidditch stadium, an amalgamation of people whirled in the heart of it, dancing wildly to the hypnotizing music of the Fey. At a glance, she could see Veela, Werewolves, Vampires, Fey Folk, Dwarves, Goblins, and smaller Fairies. But they were not what she was here to see, so she turned away resolutely and looked for-

Ah, there.

In another part of the clearing, the Winter Queen held court. There were tales- even in the Wizarding world- of her exceeding cruelty and unbearable malice. If Wizard's memories were long, then the Fey's were eternity. And Morgana had managed to piss off the entirety of it a long time ago. She had claimed to be descended from not just any Fey when she took the title Le Fay, but rather, from the Queens. Impetuous and condescending, she had made an enemy of the Fair Folk a long time before she met any of them. They had blessed her at birth with magic, true. But her arrogance had long since made her power not a blessing but a curse.

Like any other pawn in the Wizarding World, they were a double edged sword. The harder one grasped them, the more one bled.

Only the most powerful or beautiful were allowed in her presence. And if the clearing was shaped as an ellipse, with the dancers as one center, then the Queen was the other. Tall and thin, she fairly glowed with magic and power. The sharp scent of evergreen and snow swirled around her, but Carina was good enough at reading auras that she could smell the scent of dried blood and rotting animal underneath it all. Long black hair- so black it shimmered blue- hung down her back where it was combed by a Taken.

Taken were another thing that she had to be careful of- they were fanatically loyal to their Masters or Mistresses, and the stronger Fey more often than not fought over who got the most powerful at birth, wherein they would leave a changeling in their place.

It was not a myth, as the Ministry would have the world believe.

Taking a deep breath, Carina gazed down at herself, straightening her hair and dress carefully before she lifted her head. She was the Daughter of Black, Oathsworn of Morgana, and by the Gods of Heaven and Hell, she would do what needed to be done. Even if it killed her.

Especially when it killed her.

* * *

She skirted the edges of the clearing until she was at the closest point in front of the Queen she could possibly be. Morgana's words, "Do not look her in the eye!" resounded once before she nodded once, firmly.

_Do what needs to be done._

The walk from the edges to the Queen was the longest walk she ever took. And as she went on, she could hear the gentle hum of conversation fade away as the majority took to gazing at her- the first human to walk in on a Gathering since the time of Morgana.

The Queen herself noticed her, when she finally realized why her people were falling silent. Her eyes narrowed at her decidedly human features, and Carina wanted to scream, quite suddenly, that she wasn't ready for this. Arcturus, Orion, Walburga, even Albus fucking Dumbledore himself put together wouldn't have been quite as frightening as this alien creature.

But Carina would do what needed to be done. She walked on.

As she stood, ten feet away from the Queen, she waited for her to recognize her. When nothing came forth, she grew slightly frustrated. Nearly ten minutes passed before the Queen gave in to her quiet stubbornness. "Who are you, child?" There was a hissing undertone to her beautiful voice that almost made Carina want to retch in disgust. She did nothing of the sort, only introduced herself.

"Carina of the House Black, Queen of Winter." The Queen looked ready to speak- putting her down, no doubt, but she went on, "Oathsworn of Merlin, Priestess of Old, and Descendant of the Fay." What she had stated was only the truth- Morgana was a former Oathsworn of Merlin, and she had never become Forsworn, so he was still her Lord. In turn, because Carina was Morgana's Oathsworn, she was considered Merlin's. Under Morgana's tutelage, she had become a Priestess, and because she was Morgana's descendant, she was also a descendant of the Fey.

"Indeed. So, what brings an Oathsworn of Merlin here?" Her eyes were affixed on hers, but Carina refused to look up and meet her gaze.

"I am here as a Priestess, Winter Queen. I am here to ask for your hand in alliance so that the days of old can be brought back to my world." This, too, was the truth- though slightly twisted. She didn't want the old ways back- because there were too many people in the world for the old ways to work once more. No, she was going to join the old and the new. But _that _was something the Fey could never understand. When it seemed that they wouldn't believe her, she went on, "I mean you and yours no harm, Queen. That I promise on my honor."

The Winter Queen sneered. "Your honor, child of man? Your people have no honor!"

Carina recoiled back, stunned when she heard the answering calls by the Queen's courtiers. She hadn't expected this level of sheer- sheer _malice_ when she came here. In that moment, Carina knew that she had not gained their respect- only their interest. Her best card had become nothing. She needed something more- something greater.

A crazy plan unfolded, a plan that could lead to her death or worse, the loss of her mind. But, in the end, it was perhaps the only thing she could do. Going against every rule in the bloody book, she raised her eyes to the Queen's, meeting them squarely.

Everything faded away as the Queen's power enfolded her own.

And Carina felt her body nearly crumple, before she smelled the hint of rotting carcass, and the world was brought back in a whirling maelstrom of emotion and power.

Despite the fact that she had acted courteously, that she had given her Oath of Honor, the next best thing to an Unbreakable Vow, the Queen had tried to Take her. In this, the Queen was wrong, and she would pay, if nothing else. Power- her own- flooded out of her as she unleashed her barriers. The scent of jasmine and rosemary swirled through the air, clashing with the Queen's own power as the two fought.

"I- swore to- you. On my… _honor! _How- dare you!"

She had tried an Oath of Honor, and now, the Queen would have to pay for the consequences. By actually giving it, however, magic itself danced around her as she attacked. Their eyes had remained locked, and she could hear the cries of the courtiers as they watched a mere Witch- a human- challenge and defend herself against the Winter Queen for more than a minute.

Finally, the Winter Queen averted her eyes as she felt her body begin to grow hotter. Carina's body was almost glowing a brilliant pale green as she faced off against her. The color slowly faded, and Carina, too, averted her eyes. They stood off against each other, the pale Fey Queen against the pretty human child.

Slowly, Carina bit out, "I am well within my rights to excise you, Machyam Bás Chlondyan. I can cast you from the spirit of Avalon and you will cease to exist! I gave you my damn _Oath of Honor._"

The Queen's response was telling, "What did you call me?"

Carina smirked back. "I called you by your name. Mach-"

"Enough! What do you want?"

"I want_ed_ your hand in alliance, Queen of Winter. Now, I have no want of it."

The Queen flushed red, then sighed. "Very well, child. I- I offer you my hand- not in alliance," she said, seeing the look on Carina's face, "but in surrender. You have the right to cast me from Avalon, and as such, I offer you not only my hand, but my head."

An unrealistic tableau then unfolded, as the Queen of Winter slowly rose from her throne, her eyes focusing on the girl, before she slowly fell to her knees, bowing her head and breaking eye contact as the first Fey surrendered completely to a nine year old girl.

It was a beautiful scene, and as the courtiers watched history being made, the girl slowly reached forward and placed her palms on the bare shoulders of the Queen. "Rise, Anatoria, Queen of the Winter. Rise, Oathsworn and Queen of the Fey. Rise, and follow me into the Darkness whence you came!"

Silence reigned for a long time, before the Queen finally raised her head, and whispered, "I offer you my Allegiance."

"And I accept your Allegiance." She spoke almost affectionately, as if to a small child. "May you rule the Fair Folk with a firm yet just hand, Anatoria of the Winter."

Then she turned and melted away, as if she had never been there in the first place.


	6. Chapter 6: A Crippling Loneliness

**Hi Everyone! I just wanted to apologize for the last chapter- it felt really rushed and choppy- but I think it all worked out in the end. This one is actually kinda late because I had two papers and three exams this week, and my friend fell sick with allergies, so I've had to take the extra shifts at the bookstore as well, and it's all around been a hell of a week. **

**Now, to clarify some matters about the Taken: they're really normal humans (though they might be Wizards) who are in the thrall of the Fey. And if anyone caught it out- Fay, with an "a" is what the Wizards consider a title, but Fey with an "e" is just the name of the race. If anyone's read Cassandra Clare's City of Glass series, the Taken are pretty similar to what happens to the mortals who are captured by the vampires (that's where I got the idea from)…**

**And then, this chapter, too, is slightly disjointed- but I wanted the ending to reflect Carina's slightly confused, melancholy, and yes, something else as well (though I'm not saying what yet!). She is still a child- a very mature, very ruthless child, but she still has a conscience, and she right now she does what she does not only because she believes in it, but also because she's terrified of Morgana. ****Next chapter the party ends, and she goes of to Hogwarts...**

**To end this really long Author's Note, I'd just like to say enjoy this chapter!**

**-Dialux**

* * *

_Salazar left us, one night, and I know not why... Rowena- my best friend for over fifty years has banned me from her rooms, and Godric refuses to leave unless it is to teach... Salazar's departure, though it feels more like a betrayal, may yet mark the end of all we have worked for our whole lives. Why did he leave? No one speaks to me, and I am feeling more lonely than ever... We have worked together and won against Dark Lords, a Coven of Vampires, even struck a bargain with the Centaurs and Acromantulas, but we may yet be defeated by Salazar's disappearance. _

_\- The Memoirs of Helga Hufflepuff (Last of the Four Founders, Founder of the Hufflepuff line, Dancer and Seer of the North)_

* * *

Carina returned from the Gathering feeling more triumphant than ever before.

She had gained an ally! An ally that really didn't need her, like her parents or Head had done- whatever else they were, they were still _family, _and that counted for something somewhere, didn't it?- but the Winter Queen hadn't needed her for anything, and while she knew that her actions- hell, her whole night- had been a gamble, the rewards far outweighed the compromises right now.

What she hadn't been counting on was the Fey's malicious pleasure in one-upping anyone and everyone, and she certainly had been feeling arrogant enough that the ones with the slightest hint of magic could have followed her.

As a result, when she left the grass tunnel she had apparated to in an attempt to leave quietly, instead of coming out into the glade in which she had entered the Fey Woods, she fell into a deep forest lake, the water surrounding her and closing over her head almost before she could recoil in shock.

The water was _cold, _and the lake was deep, and the air in her lungs had been driven by sheer shock at the sudden _wetness. _But she had been trained by the best, and so, Carina managed to surface not twenty seconds later, only to hear the cruel laughter of the Fey as she struggled out of the lake, which, on further inspection, was truly only a pool, though far deeper than one might imagine- Carina suspected magic- and the rest of the forest was beautifully tranquil.

No shouts or screams were audible, which meant one of two things- she was either close to a Muggle village, because Wizarding enclaves always celebrated Samhain, or she was so far into the woods that no mortal called it their home.

Based on the peacefulness and wild beauty of the place, she was willing to bet it was the latter as opposed to the former.

She closed her eyes, releasing her magic, depleted as it was from her fight with the Queen, to look for signs of human life in a mile radius. How far could the Fey have thrown her off her initial course?

The answer was quite a bit.

By the Gods, she'd spend half her night trekking all the way to even get close to the Party, and someone would surely miss her, because she had made a point of becoming more visible, not drifting into the background, recently. Which meant that the only option she had was to apparate there- a tricky feat at the best of times, and even more so when exhausted, and even worse when a child- and exhaust stores of magic that were already quite gone.

Carina apparated.

* * *

She landed on her feet not a five minute walk from the Party- she could hear the cheerful shouting and, even though she was quite far, the carefully Dark-edged neutrality of both music and magic.

It wasn't quite fashionable to show one's Darkness in a political party like this one.

However, while the Fair Folk's games might have been excused before, the soaking had also managed to completely ruin her dress, painstakingly self-made as it was, and Carina was certain that there was seaweed and pond scum caught in her hair as well as parts of the torn dress.

Another girl might have felt a twinge of regret towards the ruin of their first dress and finest night, but Carina was far more worried that her parents might- not only find out, but guess where she'd been- and Morgana, who would be beyond furious at her presumptuous actions. Her scars throbbed as if in response, and Carina shuddered in painful remembrances of agony.

Her mind was still not her own- there were parts she defended so well Morgana would never they even existed- but to keep up the fiction, she had to have a mind to defend. Important parts- like revenge and anger and betrayal- could not- _must not_\- show anything against her. Half-formed plans and wisps of thoughts were pulled together behind shelves of iron and a library that was more sanctuary than place of knowledge, but _nothing _must be visible for the rest of the night- not in her open mind.

Using her vague knowledge of the Black Home- they rarely used this manor unless it was to entertain guests- Carina slipped to the side and walked through the gilt-edged darkness of the Manor's kissing gardens. As she finally entered the Manor proper, however, the most dangerous part of her journey began- this was the part where she'd most likely be found out. For the first time that night, however, the Gods seemed to look favorably down on her, and she managed to enter the bathroom without anyone seeing her. Locking the door behind her, she slid down against it, letting the last vestiges of iron-willed control slip away from her.

Terror, inadequacy, rage. The entire night had been a maelstrom of emotions, and Carina had only barely managed to get her footing underneath her before the tables had been turned. To a girl who had spent her whole life fighting for control, this was perhaps the greatest fear she had- that when the time came, she would not be enough to rise to the occasion. She'd been shamed and idolized and almost everything between, and Carina was certain that the rest of the night would only get worse from there on.

And she was right.

* * *

The frosty whoosh of breath signaled the arrival of Morgana, and not for the first time, Carina was glad that she was a Magical Construct. Construct's couldn't survive in places without inherent magic in them- that was why she hadn't been at the Gathering with her- like the Black Manors or Hogwarts. As a result, Carina could spin the story however she wanted as long as it was close enough to the truth, and Morgana wouldn't be able to question it. But the only problem was that Carina had let herself fall from the exulted high of triumph, and she was fairly certain that she wouldn't be able to craft a believable lie in the few seconds she had before Morgana grew too impatient with her. In addition, if Morgana asked to see the memory- well, then she was well and truly screwed.

So the truth it was. "Oath Lady Morgana."

Morgana tilted her head back, slowly, her pretty blue eyes glittering with lazy power and something unnamable- something Carina, had she been any less tired, would have pursued. "Oathsworn Carina." She paused for a beat, then continued. "What happened tonight?"

So, Carina told her. She told her everything- from their rage to her reckless challenge to the triumph of a child- mortal, no less- against the Winter Queen.

But the victory didn't seem to register with Morgana, whose magic flared around her- though she didn't notice- with rage. "You- you _what?! _Carina Black," she hissed furiously, "How dare you endanger yourself so recklessly?"

For a brief moment, something like care- something like _love – _shone in her eyes, and Carina felt like a sun had been lit inside of her. For the first time in her life, someone _cared _beyond what she could do for them, about her.

"You damn well know that the world is like! You, of all people, ought to know how much you mean to the battle!"

The Battle? What? No- not her. Oh no, not her. It was all to the cause, all to the battle, all to the fucking world as opposed to _her. _

A long time ago, Carina'd read a quote- it was hazy and it was dreamy, the book not the heavy leather-bound novel of Wizarding texts but a slender novel, so very fragile, its very papers easy to rip apart. But inside, she read a tale of heroic courage, of terrifying odds and wins despite of it. The one thing she actually remembered, however, was the elegant epitaph on the last page of the book, written not in the rounded letters of the book but a scrawling scribble. "Surely there is no more wretched sight that the human body unloved and uncared for." She hadn't understood then, and even now she didn't know why she'd stared at it for a full minute in shock, before curling up on herself and sobbing her heart out.

All she knew was that it had managed to state every fear she'd ever had in her short, short life- would she, too, become an unwanted, unneeded person? Was that her destiny? Morgana had given her purpose, but she hadn't loved her. When the time came to bury the body, what would she do? Would anyone weep over her grave, or would it be a "good riddance to bad rubbish" policy?

Dammit, why was she so _weak? _

But Carina was nothing if not strong. She swallowed her fear and hurt and loss, and only offered a slightly strained smile that revealed none of the prickly emotions lurking behind her masks. "We'll need to finish this later, Morgana." Carina knew almost instantly that she'd misspoken when Morgana went deathly white in rage, but she continued on blithely. "I'm quite certain that people are going to miss me if I'm any later than this, so please, if you could fix me up?"

Morgana remained frozen for a full thirty seconds- obviously trying to contain her anger- before speaking in a very exact tone. "Of course, Oathsworn."

Carina hid her relief at that, but knew that she would pay the price for her delay in another few hours or so. Morgana's ire was something one never deliberately called for, and her mood would only- could only- be exacerbated by a delay.

There was nothing for it, however, and so, she left the bathroom looking fresh and ready while she- a nine year old girl- wrestled with her hurt and loneliness as best she knew how.

* * *

The rest of the party was a speedy blur- Carina spent most of it dancing with Bellatrix's betrothed, Lucius Malfoy, and conversing with the two girls she had not pushed away over the years.

Hippolyta and Boudicca were the two daughters of the Gamp line- her third cousins through Hesper Gamp, they were two intelligent but quiet girls Carina could truly get along well with. Hippolyta was tall, with dark black hair and well-tanned skin, her eyes a disconcertingly clear gray, while Boudicca, two years her junior, was a petite version of her. Both were certainly not classical beauties, but Carina treated them with respect, and they returned it.

Once that too, however, got boring, she slipped away from them to go watch the dancing. Lucius Malfoy was betrothed to Bellatrix, and they were dancing in the middle of the floor- Carina realized, belatedly, that it was a romantic waltz the orchestra played, and decided to simply wait for the end of the dance before stealing Bella away.

The two certainly did make a handsome couple, she thought dryly, with Bella's dusky beauty and Malfoy's cut-glass features. They were a beautiful, whirling couple of life- the two sides to the coin, she thought, ruthlessly biting back tears at the unfairness of life. She- who shed blood and pride and tears for the cause- was left sitting on the sidelines, forgotten, while she was hailed as the bringer of the new era.

The dance they were dancing was one that few ever learned- and Carina felt the thrill and tug of the music as she swayed along with the other spectators to the silent drama unfolding on the dance floor. The music was similar to the music of the Fey in the Gathering, though nothing could compare to that haunting pull.

The music, however, did have one debilitating effect- it broke down the barriers that people normally placed without even thinking of it. Emotions, feelings, thoughts were all amplified. But Carina was caught in the middle, and she couldn't go anywhere without creating a fuss. So she watched and waited, hunching her head to hide her burgeoning emotions.

* * *

_One step forward._

Her heart ached as she saw the childish innocence in Bellatrix's eyes.

_Two steps to the right._

Why, oh why, did she have to be so very alone all the time?

_One step back._

For the first time since she met Morgana, she felt the cold wetness of salt on her face.

_One arm up. _

Bitterness, regret, remorse. Emotions she'd pushed aside for years collapsing on her.

_Sidestep to the left. _

Terror, fear, hurt. No one needed her. No one wanted her. She was a tool to be used and abused.

_Clasp arms. _

Loneliness. A crippling, flaring loneliness that burned away the last vestiges of her pride and self-control.

_Bow._

She turned away at the last notes of the song, and left.

She would do what needed to be done. But enjoy it? Never.

_May the Gods forgive my insolence._


	7. Chapter 7: Families and Intelligence

**Hi Everyone! Coming in at above 5000 words, this is the longest chapter I've ever written! This chapter is the beginning of Carina's interaction with her peers- I really hope this can show her maturity and, yes, her loneliness. Last chapter ended on a really depressed note, and this one is, I hope, slightly more upbeat. I'd also like to take the time to say thank you to all my reviewers! You guys are really great! **

**\- Dialux**

**ChasingHope19: Yes, I know she's very mature. But there's a reason for this- and I hope I state that in this chapter (However, you will have to look- I never state it explicitly, and I will expand on this later.)**

* * *

_"To all, the Sorting Hat shall be just that- a Sorting Hat. But as we know, and as the rest of the world will not, humans die. Information can be lost. It can be stolen, manufactured, dead. No- the Sorting Hat, a mark of the school that we shall treasure for its childish simplicity, will form just one more line of defense against the Dark. This I hope, and this I pray, and this I shall give my life for."_

_\- Godric Gryffindor in a private conversation with Rowena Ravenclaw (Duelling Champion, Defender of the West, Head of Gryffindor House, Last Mage, Last of the Knight of the Order of Avalon)._

* * *

Carina fled from the dance floor, desperately trying to keep the last shred of her dignity intact. It was unbecoming for a pureblood First Witch- and even worse because her family was hosting. Finally landing on a smooth stone bench hidden in the dark corner of the kissing gardens, Carina began to sob as she finally let go.

She knew that it really didn't make sense. No one had yelled at her- other than Morgana, who always did so- and she ought to have been happy more than anything with the grudging respect of the Fey. But her victory only served to emphasize her lonely disposition. Her family didn't love her- they feared her. The Fey only gave her a slight deferentiality, not any true care. And to Morgana? She was a means to an end, nothing more.

In the end, Carina was a nine year old girl.

She was immensely mature, yes. She was beyond brilliant, yes. But there was a limit to what she could handle- it might be far more than any other person- but she had a limit. And when pushed beyond it, Carina collapsed.

Morgana, perhaps wisely, didn't show up at this point.

* * *

Carina cried herself out rather later than she expected- she fell asleep on the bench, only waking up hours later, stiff, sore and damp from the cold night and colder bench. Her glamour was gone, and dried tear tracks were crusted over her face.

Overall, she felt like she was an Inferius.

But she went inside, avoiding the most obvious methods of entry and exit- avoiding people, really- and slipped into her bedroom. For the first time, Carina was thankful for her mother's insistence on proper hosting- which meant that she was given her own set of rooms, just as all the other Family were too. After a long, hot shower and a change of rooms, she felt far more alive, and managed to even quell the raging headache that often seemed to accompany any tears she shed.

Before she felt completely ready, however, Morgana was there.

And she was _pissed off. _A night passed- even if it hadn't been a whole night- crying was unacceptable to her. And she looked even more angry that Carina had done it in public.

But right then and there, Carina was just plain indifferent. There was a place and a time to put in the effort for the long haul- and this was not one of them. This was a time to break down and hurl curses and glass and watch the darkness shatter around her in beautiful crystal.

Not to stand tall and let it devour her.

So, before Morgana spoke, she was hissing, biting out the words she'd held back for years. "I am a _human, _Morgana." When still she didn't react, Carina went on, with a deathly calm, "Not a machine. And as much as I know you'd like me to, I'm sorry. But I _cannot _turn myself on and off for you. Not for anyone. I am a- _godammit!" _She felt her hands close over the smooth bulb of a glass decanter, and she felt her rage and hurt and loss coalesce into one big ball of _something _in her stomach that she knew could cause horrible damage if she didn't stop herself, but she couldn't stop now, not when she was dangling on the edge of the precipice and the only reason why she was hesitating was because of _her _fear, and yes, her love. Before she knew it, Carina felt herself throw the decanter, sinking to the ground, biting back tears she hadn't known could still exist. "I am a human, Morgana," she said, quietly, face turned away from her. "And I am a girl, and as much as I believe in the Cause, I shall not- I am not willing to- sacrifice anymore of my happiness. I shall give blood, and when it comes down to it, I shall give my life. But I shall not sacrifice love.

"_Is that understood?"_

It was a horrible parody of the same question Morgana had asked her years ago. But now, it was Carina asking- and almost begging yet forcing- Morgana to answer. She didn't look at her, afraid to see the emotions that surely must have been there, but finally, she heard her answer. "There is very little I can say to that, Oathsworn."

For a brief moment, Carina wondered if the title was Morgana's way of reminding her of her duty and her Oath, but then she decided it didn't matter. She wasn't in the mood for verbal sparring anyways. She was tired, and she was hungry, and she just really wanted to go to bed. "But if you had to, Oath Lady, what would you say?"

Morgana almost smiled. "I would say that you remind me of a young girl I once knew. She, too, was brilliant, and ruthlessly cunning." The smile faded. "Her religion was dying out, and she was willing to do whatever it took to keep her faith and her people's faith strong. Yet she came against an enemy, an enemy she had never realized and never recognized, and for that she was defeated. You, little girl, are far wiser at the tender age of nine than she ever was."

Her curiosity spiked, Carina asked, "Who was she?"

"I called her sister-in-law and we met on the battlefield- oh, six or seven times. She was a brilliant swordsmaster, little girl, but then she fell in love. And she gave up everything- a kingdom, a faith, and though didn't realize it at the time, her freedom." Seeing her impatience, Morgana decided to simply tell her. "You would know her as Guinevere, girl."

"W-What?! _Guinevere _was your enemy? But I tho-"

"Guinevere was many things, but she was never a fool. She knew that Arthur didn't want a warrior queen as his wife- he wanted someone he could be better than. And she, fool that she was, decided to give up her freedom and her kingdom for him. In the end, Arthur's infatuation, and Guinevere's own dalliances caught up with both of them."

Carina smiled slightly ruefully, then nodded. "So I remind you of Guinevere, huh?"

"Yes. She was a very proud woman, just as you. But I only hope your tale will not be as bitter as hers, little girl.I expect you in form by tomorrow morning for Occlumency."

Morgana then disappeared, leaving Carina to snort then turn away. Even in defeat, Morgana was an arrogant Queen. But one question stuck with her. What did Guinevere not see?

* * *

Another year passed, and though Carina avoided many people, she did manage to build up relations with her cousins and her brothers.

To her great surprise, Carina found that she did enjoy spending time with Andromeda and Bellatrix- they were two girls close to her own age she was on a similar level with- at least on a social level. Andromeda was, by far, the better of the two, because she was, defying most Black characteristics, even-keeled. She rarely exploded, nor did she ever defend others. Out of all of them, there was a sense of calm to her that the others didn't have.

Bellatrix was like a torrent of unleashed energy- two years older than the rest of them, she was like a Dark waterfall, her hair cascading down her back in spiraling ringlets that highlighted the contrasts of dark valleys and lighted mountains on her face.

Narcissa and Regulus were the two children of the family, and, while before, Carina had avoided Regulus quite a lot, now she was making a conscious effort to protect him. When the yelling and screaming and constant fighting of their parents became too much, Carina taught him how to lock his door and activate a silencing charm on it. Narcissa was the beauty of the family- far different from Bellatrix's darkness and Andromeda's evenness- with dark blond hair and pale, pale skin, she looked more like the twin of Malfoy than anything.

In fact, this was one of the few constant battles between Bella and Narcissa, with Bella vacillating from loving Lucius- especially when he was kind to her- and hating him- when he was rude to her, and Narcissa claiming that she truly loved him. That _she _wanted to be the one to marry him.

At the rate their relationship was going, Carina wouldn't be surprised if Bellatrix actually told Narcissa to take him.

But the end result was that she did interact with them- protecting the younger ones, laughing with Andromeda, and battling with Bellatrix for the title of First Witch. Having proven her claim to it, now Carina was defending herself against Bellatrix's intrusions into that title. Their constant battles were never broadcasted to anyone outside the family- she sincerely doubted any of the adults even knew they had a rivalry- but she _had_ managed to win Bellatrix's respect- grudging though it was.

It was a mark of how highly she thought of her that Carina was flattered by it.

Sirius, however, was another matter entirely. He was he brother- he was her _twin. _But he was also one of the few people she just didn't understand. With his classic black hair and heavy looks, Sirius would certainly grow up to be very handsome someday. But Carina was far more worried about his actions than his looks.

He was constantly _fighting._

Even when he knew he couldn't win, even when the whole fucking world seemed to be against him, he kept on it. He'd fight against his mother, Lucius Malfoy, Bellatrix, even Arcturus. He'd fight, and he'd lose, and he'd sulk, and then he'd fight once more.

It was a pathetic circle, yet he didn't seem at all interested in fighting smarter, in fighting better, in actually _winning. _If she didn't know better, Carina would think that the only reason he fought was to actually fight, not to win. And truly, she couldn't understand that need. It startled and terrified and confused her, and as a result, she avoided him.

* * *

It was mid-June when both Sirius and Carina got their Hogwarts letters. While Walburga and Orion, however, were arguing about yet _another _small thing- this time, she suspected it had to do with the newspapers Orion had strewn over the coffee table- she, Sirius, and Regulus got ready for their first trip to Diagon Alley as students. Carina and Sirius both had to go, and she insisted on bringing Regulus. The two had gotten close in the year after her fight with Morgana, and she more than protected him from Walburga's rages.

It had not taken a genius to realize that her family was very, _very _screwed up. Not a week went by without an argument from their parents- and the arguments weren't simple ones either. More often than not, Walburga was screaming at the end. Sirius, too, fought fiercely with Walburga, exacerbating an already tense situation. And while Carina had been locked in her own world, she hadn't noticed the terrified shadows in her younger brother's eyes.

Sirius might have dealt with their mother by rebelling, but Regulus was not as bold nor as confident. Furthermore, he didn't have the added benefit of outside family- such as the Head- supporting him. There was, quite simply, nowhere for the poor boy to turn. Whereas Carina had once dealt with that by rising above the problem and shrinking away, now she took Regulus under her wing. The long hours spent trying to build up his confidence, and shielding him from Walburga seemed to be never-ending, but by the end of the year, she was reasonably satisfied; Reg wouldn't relapse in the months she was gone, she was sure of it.

The trip to Diagon was simple and quick- they already had their clothes, and both twins could simply share an owl. The generic items (Bella called them "common") could be taken care of with a House-Elf, so they really only needed to get an owl and their wands.

Eeylops' Owl Emporium was a cold, strange shop, with perches littering almost every flat surface, and cold, gleaming eyes visible wherever one turned. Sirius bumped into a counter, and had the unfortunate first-hand knowledge of what a truly furious owl could do to a person who irritated them. Three diagonal scratches, ones that would take at least a week to heal with potions, were running down his cheek. Though tears stood out in his eye, Sirius held them back stubbornly, though he did flinch anytime another owl hooted.

Carina was impressed.

Carina chose a simple, nondescript brown owl, suiting her own personality quite well, though Sirius sulked over her choice- once he was healed.

Their wands were the only thing left, but Ollivander's seemed to be empty when they entered it. The underlying magic, so deeply woven into the wood, and so _concentrated _in the wands was powerful enough to not only give her a tension headache, but leave her slightly woozy. She knew that she wasn't going to be coming back anytime soon, not unless she had to. It took Carina anywhere from a few minutes to a few days to get used to the ambient magic in buildings- she'd grown up in 12 Grimmauld Place, and she'd gotten used to that magic.

She wasn't looking forwards to Hogwarts- not one bit.

Sirius went first, and he got his wand- a ten inch Dogwood wand with a Chinese Fireball dragon heartstring core. Carina's took a lot longer- her headache and her already enhanced, specialized magic wasn't compatible with many types, as most people were.

The "wand might choose the wizard," but there were, in truth, _many _wands that could choose a single wizard- especially before they got any magical training. But for Carina, who was already so advanced, it took far longer. After nearly two hours of waving wand after wand, demolishing nearly half the store, and squinting through her tension headache, he finally went into the back of the store.

"Try this, try this. Oh yes, I remember this very well. I didn't make this one- my brother did. It was actually his last master-piece before his death; he spent a long time on this one."

Carina reached out and grasped it, willing to do whatever it took to get out of the shop as quickly as possible. But when her hand grasped it, she felt something she'd never felt before- an alien stirring in her Magic Core. It felt amazing, her magic pouring out of her and into this wand- like a high she'd never be able to come down from. Her gasp was echoed by her brother's shouts, finally managing to interrupt her daze. As her gaze flicked over them, she realized that her _skin was literally glowing. _

As she stiffened in shock, she saw Ollivander's eyes widen. Before any of them could react, however, he had flicked his wand, and the sign outside the window displayed 'closed,' the windows grew clouded, and the entire room began to clean itself up. Uncharacteristically grim, he spoke. "It is not common knowledge that you are-"

"Pardon me, but there are certain things children do not need to hear." Carina was desperately trying to buy herself some time, to get her brothers outside, and away from this. If they got involved- at any level- she shuddered to think of the consequences. Carina could- and would- give up her life for the cause at any moment. But she was fighting the war so that her brothers didn't have to.

And if that meant protecting them, well, then she would do what needed to be done.

Staring hard at her, Ollivander frowned. Finally, he nodded, and told Sirius and Regulus to go to Fortescue's. While both looked like they wanted to stay, Regulus appeared to trust Carina enough to drag Sirius out of the shop. Neither were in the mood to fight with her- at that moment.

"Well?" She demanded, "Why am I glowing?"

Ollivander waited until the bell tinkled, signaling the boys' retreat, and looked back at her. "As I was saying, Miss Black, not many know that you are a Child of Prophecy."

Carina froze. Whatever she'd expected, it wasn't this- not a prophecy. Though, it did make a strange, bitter sort of sense. Why else would Morgana keep her all this while? But in the end, Carina only nodded. "Perhaps it is because I did not know myself."

"Yes, I was worried about that possibility. You see, in my brother's last days- in his last month of life, really- he was very invested- some would even say obsessed- with that very wand. He barely ate, barely slept, only lived for that wand. I don't know why it was so special, but it seems that he was a Seer."

"What?! That isn't possible- there hasn't been a real Seer since-"

Ollivander nodded. "Since the thirteenth century. But I didn't say he was a true Seer, Miss Black. I think, however, that he made this wand specifically for you."

Carina frowned. "You still haven't told me why it's so special…"

"You see, Miss Black, it is made of Banyan wood- which is a very temperamental wood in the first place- it can either work splendidly for the wizard- or witch, in your case- or backfire spectacularly. Not only that, but my brother managed to fuse the Banyan to an Augurey feather soaked in phoenix tears.

"I did not believe it possible- not until he proved it. In this wand, Miss Black, you have the potential to break, or make the world."

Carina was frozen, her eyes wide at the multitude of information. The only thing she knew for sure was that Morgana would _not _know of this. But Ollivander went on, "We Ollivanders have made wands for centuries, Miss Black- over two millennia, in fact. But never have we made a wand crafted specifically for one person- like my brother did. He died without telling anyone what his last actions were, and for over fifty years I have mourned his passing as both untimely and useless.

"But your arrival seems to have given him some reason. If he Saw his death, and if he Saw that his death might cause a brighter future with this wand in your hands, then I cannot and will not take that away from you." His eyes were shining with some unholy fervor, now, "In fact, I ought to thank you, Miss Black, for ending my painful 'might-have-beens,' for lack of a better word."

"So, thank you, Miss Black." He rose, and bowed stiffly, before waving his own wand, and Carina made her escape almost immediately. Pureblood decorum could go hang itself. She had too much information right then and there.

* * *

Another few months passed, and Carina was getting ready for her first day at Hogwarts.

Regulus was lounging on her bed, his black hair hanging in a scruffy fringe over worried gray eyes. "Carina, you'll write, won't you?"

Carina turned back. She'd been focused on making sure that her suitcase was neatly packed, but now, she paid attention to her little brother. "Of course, Reg. But you _do _realize that you won't be alone, here, right? Narcissa's-"

"Hah! _Narcissa? _Are you even listening to yourself?"

Carina smiled ruefully. "I suppose you're right…" Narcissa certainly had a reputation for being annoying and needy.

"Only suppose, 'Rina?" Regulus grinned back, and Carina felt a small jolt. He looked so much younger when he did that- like he was her tiny, adorable three year old brother following her around everywhere. She'd taken steps, including stinging hexes, which hurt terribly the younger one was, to discourage that activity, and, while she had certainly mended that lapse of judgment on her part, she still regretted it. If only she could go back in time, become less of a mother to him- as she was now- and more of a sister, someone he'd treat as his equal.

"Yes, Reg. Only 'suppose.'" She hauled the trunk off her bed, carelessly waving her hand to make it feather-light. Then, she froze. Because Regulus didn't know, and he did know her well enough that any lies would be caught out, and-.

She forced herself to breathe. Panicking wouldn't help, and hopefully Regulus hadn't-

Damn. He had noticed.

"Was that a _wandless _Featherlight Charm, Carina?" He was sitting straight up in bed, eyes flicking from the trunk to her.

"Yes, Regulus. But I can't-"

Regulus interrupted, "I don't care. I know you have your secrets." His dark eyes bored into hers, surprisingly mature for a ten year old. "And I don't need to know them. But maybe-" Here, he hesitated.

"What?"

"Maybe you could do that for me next year? Please, 'Rina?" His pout was one of very few things she couldn't resist, and the boy knew it, too.

"Fine, Regulus." She didn't have to fake her exasperation over him. "But not now, and certainly not this year. So be a good boy and leave." Seeing his questioning look, she elaborated, "I need to change."

He flushed. "Ah. Yes. I'll be gone, then."

Carina smirked as he left. She still didn't understand his embarrassment when she talked about clothes, or wearing them, or any such thing. With a shrug, however, she got ready for the next day.

The mysteries of boys could wait until _after _she saved the world.

* * *

The train ride and travel across the Lake was rather boring- especially after Bella's warnings about the Muggle-boy who had fallen in on his first trip and been drenched. She and Sirius were not in the same boat, however, and _that _certainly stung.

Only a few hours and he was already raring to go.

But Andromeda _was _with her, and Carina wanted to ensure that her first view of the "Greatest School of Magic" wasn't tinged with regret and loss.

As they passed the bridge, she felt the tingling magic of the wards slipping and sliding around her. This was so much more _real _than anything else she'd ever felt. The magic felt actually tangible, slipping and swirling about her, and it took all her considerably control to force herself to _not_ react as the magic wanted her to. Old Headmasters, former and current students, Ley lines, and, under it all, the base of the Founders' magic tugged at her, and all she wanted to do at that moment was give in to it.

_Do what needs to be done._

The chant, her mantra, the anthem she had used when she had been terrified beyond belief, pounded in her head. Carefully, she forced Occlumency barriers up, trying to keep the haunting, seductive cry- perhaps not far, but certainly not as close as it was.

The entrance hall was well, entrancing. The architecture and sheer magic was not lost on the average person, but Carina could hear those with more power or more training actually recognizing the magic spun behind it all, like an Acromantula web woven behind a shield of thin ice. It was beautiful and so very, very overwhelming.

But then McGonagall, whom she recognized as a dangerous woman- there was a raging inferno dancing behind walls of fragile ice- or that was what her magic looked like- appeared, and they were taken into the Great Hall.

Sheer magic whirled around her, and it took so much more willpower than she knew she had, to stop from giving into the swirling maelstrom. But she did, and then, Andromeda was called. The Hat spoke to her for only a few seconds, before shouting out, "SLYTHERIN!"

And then it was her turn.

* * *

The trip up to the Sorting Hat was the longest walk of her life.

It wasn't the eyes that burned her, not the focus of the future of the Wizarding World. No, it was the magic that eddied around her body, almost causing her to trip time and time again. It was a slow walk, but what Carina didn't realize was that it appeared, to the rest of the student body, as if she was being very dignified and stately.

As the Hat slipped over her head, Carina felt a slight _pull _on her Occlumency barriers, and when nothing sounded in her ear, she slowly, hesitantly slipped inside them.

To her absolute shock, lounging in her private library, behind such wards that no mind had ever seen them, a young man stood. He was not tall, nor short, though he was thin, with a strange mix of black and red hair that hung in smooth waves around his aristocratic face.

"It has been a very long time since I've been able to be inside a mind as ordered as this one, Miss Black."

"Y-you're the Sorting Hat." Carina could barely hold back her shock.

He smiled. "Why yes, yes I am." He looked around, almost disapprovingly. "Though I must say, this isn't half as clean as I thought you'd be."

Carina folded her arms, trying not to wonder why she was being defensive with a _Hat. _"Aren't you supposed to be Sorting me?"

"Why yes, yes I am." He looked around, then continued, "You could fit in all the Houses, Miss Black. Of all the eleven year olds I have Sorted, you are definitely one of the most mature. You have a loyalty- certainly you have that, but I do not think it is one of your strong points."

So no Hufflepuff.

He continued, "And your knowledge of spells and esoteric branches of magic might be unrivaled by even someone twice your age- or thrice, for that matter- but certainly you do not love knowledge for itself. You want it to use it. You do not value it in and of itself- so I do not think Ravenclaw is for you."

Books and other items seemed to dance around him, tugged from her shelves and opening before him before snapping shut in the next breath. Then he went on, almost sadly, "Ah. You are a Child of Prophecy. That explains much."

"Explains _what _exactly?" Carina was annoyed.

"Explains your grief and your maturity." He looked slightly surprised. "Did you not know that you were so strong because of the Prophe- oh. I suppose not. She never told you, then?"

Some knowledge must have filtered through him, because his face hardened, then softened. "I am sorry, Miss Black. I did not know- none knew of your family, nor of your own achievements. And the Dweller of the Sea would not have helped you, of that I am certain. She is notoriously selfish."

Carina sighed. She was done with trying to get a proper answer out of him, and only nodded. She was exhausted, and his actions weren't helping her poor overwhelmed mind. "Okay."

"So, in the end, it all comes down to Gryffindor and Slytherin." When he saw the shock she didn't maage to hide, he smiled. "Oh, yes, Miss Black. The two houses are not as- ah, _different- _as many today assume." He turned away, tracing the old wooden table with his long fingers. "Gryffindor and Slytherin were once the greatest of friends. They were very similar- with one difference." He turned back, and all levity was gone, as he faced her grimly. "Salazar was what Godric would have become without help."

"What? But-"

"There are many things the people shall tell you. But I- who knew the Four better than themselves, I might add- tell _you _now, they were very, very similar. But the last days of Hogwarts's greatness were shadowed by a fight between Rowena, Godric, and Salazar." He began speaking faster, more hurried. "There is a story- a story that I cannot tell you, that none of Helga's ever heard. In _Hogwarts, A History, _there is a passage that speculates on a double-blind in Hogwarts."

"What are you saying?" Carina was slowly getting frustrated with the switching and lack of bearings she had with this Hat. She was being thrown into the deep end and being told that drowning would mean the end of the world.

Well, fuck.

"I am saying that there are mysteries hidden within the most common stories. I am saying that there is one person who can find out what happened, and _I am saying _that there are many, many stories hidden inside these walls- far too many that you must find before you make a deal with the devil.

Carina stiffened. "I already made the deal, Hat. I'm sorry. But I sold my soul away when I was six."

It sounded almost desperate when it finally cried out, "And yet you shall gamble time and time again!"

"Because I _must!" _She whirled around and glared at him, "Because there is no one else who is willing to- and there is no one else who can." She tried to get herself under control. "I do what I must, Hat. I do what needs to be done for the future I want."

"And what kind of a future is that?"

"One where I will never be forgotten." The response was so rote, that it was out before she had even thought of it. She had never answered the question aloud before, but certainly in the sanctity of her mind, that was her answer.

The Hat sighed. "I do not think so, Miss Black. But you have still not answered my question. Gryffindor or Slytherin?"

"Slytherin, Hat."

"Very well, Slytherin it is."

"SLYTHERIN!"


	8. Chapter 8: A Quiet Betrayal

**Yes everyone, I'm back! This was a hell of a chapter because of writer's block- I also had finals and some personal problems to deal with- but it's finally out! Hope you enjoy, but I won't be able to update (even though I've already written the damn thing) until mid-august.**

**So, see you then!**

**\- Dialux**

* * *

"_The past is the key to the present which forms the tale of the future. Hogwarts is a bastion of Light, but Rowena and Salazar were Dark. There is Darkness in our past and in our present. I can only hope- because I do not have the influence or magic or power- that it will not poison our future, the children's future. I Sort once a year and am forgotten for the other 365 days, but I hold information! I cry out my terror time and _time_ again and none heed my plea!_

_\- Sorting Hat, circa 1572 (In a private conversation to current Headmaster Armageddon Prewett about currently defeated Dark Lord Nonmori)_

* * *

Carina left, stumbling over to the House Table without even thinking about it. The clapping was polite; no one was surprised at another Black being Sorted into Slytherin. But she was still going over the Hat's words. A double-blind? How could Hogwarts still have that, after nearly a millennia of students?

And why, oh why, did the Hat insist on keeping this between herself and itself?

"Well done, Carina." Bellatrix's velvety murmur shook her from her musings. With a casual toss of her head, Carina shoved her worry and questions away. There were other things to worry about. Like the fact that Sirius was under the Sorting Hat _still. _

With a small frown, Carina asked Andromeda, sitting directly across from her, "Why's it taking Sirius so l-" She cut herself off ruthlessly when she saw the slight shift to the right, so that he was resting the majority of his weight on his left side- the same way he reacted when Walburga raised her hand to him. Something was wrong. Very, very wrong.

"GRYFFINDOR!"

Bellatrix, already raising her hands to clap, froze. Her lackeys, flanking her, paused too. But it was Andromeda's shocked glance that finally broke Carina out of her stupor. "We will speak tonight." That should curtail their questions and the feeling of betrayal. She hoped. What was worse was that she didn't know what he was playing at- and she had no way of knowing.

More Sortings went on, with boys like Severus Snape and Antonin Dolohov and Avery and Mulciber joining them even if they sat a couple seats down. To any Slytherin with a hint of survival, it was obvious that one needed to be in the highest class of society to even interact with them. At the moment, Carina was glad for it. She needed time to absorb shocks- and her plans, though perhaps more clearly Morgana's plans- had not foreseen this possibility.

Even as the food appeared and Carina ate, the majority of her concentration was on the Hat's words and Sirius's Sorting. Morgana would not- could not- learn about her conversation with the Hat. Filing away the cryptic words, she rearranged the memory.

This was something very, very few ever learned- it wasn't something taught but rather a natural inference from her forays into mind magic. Taking a memory and manipulating it, well enough to fool the world's greatest Legilimens. Morgana would want to know what had happened, and completely hiding the memory would only cause questions she was in no shape to answer. So she used snippets of words here and there, pulled from other conversations in an effort to curtail Morgana's probes.

Sirius was seated at the Gryffindor table, but he had made a tactical error almost immediately. He was sitting facing them, and there was no regret on his face. To any other, it might have been questionable, but to Carina it was obvious. Sirius had chosen to do what he did. He was surprised and startled, yes. But it wasn't a complete shock.

Which led to the question, what would she do? Carina had the power to tear him down- perhaps not immediately, but Sirius's reputation wasn't completely unblemished either. But she also had the power to protect him. To shield him from their parents and the Slytherins' wrath. It wouldn't be easy, and it would depend on his own actions as much as hers, but it could be done.

It was then that she realized that her silence, much like Andromeda's, could be mistaken for meekness in the face of Bellatrix's domineering personality. But unlike Andromeda, Carina had the power and family to back up any power plays she fought out. Few knew of their battles; both girls were well-trained and knew better than to allow anyone to hear their disagreements, but Carina had asserted her claim to First Witch when she was seven. And she'd be damned to the deepest pits of hell before she let that go without a fight. With a slight twitch of her lips, she entered into the conversation, baiting Bella with a lace-covered steel trap.

"But you haven't practiced over the summer, have you, Bella?" Bellatrix hesitated- the casual question belied the dangerous undertones to it. On the one hand, she could answer proudly and defiantly- but more to point, truthfully- and risk giving blackmail material to anyone close enough to hear. On the other, she could straight-out lie as she had been planning to do before anyway, but that took the chance of people going out on their own and investigating because they didn't believe her. After all, a true Slytherin never outright lied in case they were ever caught up in such a trap later.

With one question, Carina had managed to not only break the flow of the story, but completely shatter any goodwill Bellatrix might have had for her. It wasn't completely unexpected, but Bellatrix had assumed that she would wait until the next day before she tried to undermine her.

With a slightly strained smile that did nothing to alleviate the useless rage growing inside her, Bellatrix backed off. Carina had won this one handily. "I would never claim to do something against the law, Carina." It was a cop-out, and everyone knew it. But Bellatrix rarely accepted defeat gracefully. "But you were at my house so very often this past summer. What were you doing?"

Carina smiled toothily back. Something had happened, Bella thought almost despairingly. That was why she was being eviscerated so cleanly right then. "I was paying more attention to the Lilies of the Valley your father had planted in the garden."

Bellatrix froze, knowing now that Carina had completely, utterly _lost her mind. _Because first of all, she was airing private Black family shenanigans in public. Second of all, she was implying that they were muggle-lovers; purebloods didn't plant muggle plants in their gardens unless they were people like the Weasleys. Furthermore, men just didn't interfere in gardens- that was the woman's domain.

That her father had was a disgrace to the entirety of the family.

It implied that he was either more like a woman than a man, or that he didn't believe Druella capable of the duties she was sworn to uphold. It was a disgrace and a blemish and a stain on an otherwise spotless record. Bellatrix was ashamed of her parents- especially the fact that she knew why they were fighting. Any and all fights in the bedroom were meant to be kept that way, and anyone who didn't ran the risk of what just happened- revealing it to the entirety of the Wizarding World. But that didn't make Carina's words any easier to bear.

As if she'd caught wind of Bellatrix's thoughts, Carina pulled back, retreating from the conversation smoothly. Bellatrix could just imagine the fangs being withdrawn into her gums once more, an innocent façade covering over that which she wasn't in a mood to deal with. There was a reason why Blacks kept family grievances private; their reputation and power was so great that any true battles would result in a destructive dance that would only end in death and disgrace. With a quiet sigh, Bellatrix inclined her head to Carina's slightly regretful mask. It was a warning and a chiding and a surrender all at once. Skillfully, she then turned the remark away from the surgical point it had been nailed into, and towards a more broad, less painfully scarring one.

* * *

They followed Gemma Rosier out of the Great Hall, and into the hallway.

As the first years twisted and turned down into the dungeons, the air got colder and colder. More and more, Carina had to pull her magic into her and away from the others as the air grew damper. Water conducted magic the best, while fire nullified it. After all, there was a reason why a paranoid bastard like Slytherin had chosen to keep his students in a castle's dungeons.

It wasn't because of the 'creepiness factor' as the Gryffindors thought, but rather because magic could be easily sensed in the dungeons where it couldn't in towers.

Potions were kept in the dungeons for just that reason- the ambient magic was what made it possible to get the ingredients to interact and form a magical potion instead of just a bunch of ingredients in hot water. It was why so few ever made Potions Masters; they needed the facilities to practice in that had that ambient magic.

And it was because of that ambient magic that Carina was able to feel Morgana's impatience. If there was one thing she knew, it was that Morgana would want to talk about the Feast and the Sorting. But Bellatrix had told her moments before they had left to meet her in the Common Room as soon as possible. Andromeda would be joining her. So, Morgana would have to wait until that was finished.

That resolved, Carina tuned back into the lecture Gemma Rosier had been giving them about the castle. "The password is changed every four days, and is usually decided by either me, my brother Evan, or our Head of House, Professor Slughorn." Gemma was a tall, thin girl with lank black hair and sallow skin; she looked more like a ghost or an Inferi than a seventeen-year old girl. "There are two staircases when we get into the Common Room, and one is for the girls and the other is for the boys. Once you go down it, there are bedrooms. Most Slytherins like their privacy, so there are only two of you to a room. However, room checks are performed by either me or Evan on a random basis. If we find any banned items, we will not hesitate to confiscate it and give you a detention."

Carina smirked. There was nothing in the speech about actually not having it, just about not being found with it. "Room designations are put in randomly; I do not expect any of you to actually like your roommate, but please remember that whoever you sleep with tonight is going to be there for the next seven years of your life. Offend them at your peril."

With that last remark, she left.

* * *

Carina stole down twenty minutes later, feeling quite pleased with her room designations. Andy was in the room across the hall, and because there were an odd number of girls in their year, Carina was the one who had the room all to herself. The privacy would certainly help matters.

Now, she just had to go find Sirius and keep Bellatrix from murdering him on the spot.

"I told him to meet us." Bellatrix was in a snit- not that it was a surprise. She needed people to obey her every assumption, and those who didn't better have a reason why. "He's going to fucking _pay."_

"Bellatrix." The cool word managed to temper her rage, but at the same time brought attention to her face. Nevertheless, such language was not tolerated- not here, not anywhere.

Bella's confusion was clear to her. "Why aren't you-" _Because I might lie in the future and say that I knew about this all along, Bellatrix. Why else? _

"I suggest you mind your business, Bella, and when Aunt Druella writes back telling you how this summer you'll have facial training, I suggest you don't come to me." Carina frowned back, knowing the threat would keep Bella back at least slightly.

The walk to the classroom was silent, all three of them lost in their own thoughts. It was when Bella pushed the door open, revealing a rather frightened-looking Sirius that Bella's temper truly snapped. "_What _in the name of Merlin and Morgana and Mordred were you thinking? You _know _that your Dad will be furious- your Mum even more so! You're going to be a disgrace to the family!" Carina tuned her yelling out, retreating into her shields, furiously trying to make a decision.

But Bella was a fool. Had she- had anyone, really- taken the time to look, they would have understood that Sirius responded to screaming with defiance and disappointment with rage. For a brief moment, she could almost see the future spiraling out from the shadowed classroom. Sirius would estrange himself further and further from their family, becoming closer and closer to the Gryffindors. He would later manage to get himself disowned, and the burden of the Heir would fall to Regulus. Sirius would marry and have children and a life and _she would not be a part of it. _Merlin, she could keep silent and remain stubborn, or she could offer him a lifeline. It needn't be something others would understand or appreciate. It was something for Sirius. And then he could straddle the line.

She'd much rather walk into the pits of Hell before losing a part of her Family willingly.

Both of them were now screaming insults at one another, Bella and Sirius. Standing as they were, they looked strangely similar- both had black hair and pale skin, and both were tall and lean with muscles cording bones that seemed slightly elongated. They were a matched pair, and Carina knew that was why they hated each other so. Both burned too brightly and too Gryffindorishly to see and embrace the similarities. It was the differences that scalded them, and it was the differences they defined themselves by.

It was harsh and cold and bitter, but it was the truth. And in her mind at least, she hoped she could say that truth.

"I _hate _you." Sirius's flat statement, meant to hurt as much as possible, brought Bellatrix up short.

But then, with a wild laugh that echoed with a hysteria-tinged madness, she hissed back, "Why should I care? You're _nothing _to me." Whipping around, she flung herself out of the door- though not before Carina glimpsed a flash of tears in her stone-gray eyes. Carina nodded to Andromeda, telling her to leave. There was nothing more to be done, anyways, and there was everything to lose if she didn't speak up soon.

Andromeda left, and then there was only Sirius and Carina, standing two meters apart, a gap filled with bitterness and betrayal and confusion- a child's confusion. "Why? Why Sirius?" Her soft question seemed to reach him when Bella's screams hadn't. "Why leave? Weren't we enough? I mean-"

"I know what you mean." His voice was rough. "I know, Carina. But this is what I chose. This- and if you don't like it I can't go back and change it now."

She nodded back, gravely. It was no more and no less than the truth. "You'll need to say something at Christmas. And you'll need support." At those words, his head whipped up, eyes wide in shock. "You don't have nearly enough with the older generation, though I have some influence with Grandfather. You'll need to get Bellatrix and the others on your own, but when we go home, _follow my lead." _

"Th- thank you. I don't know what to say."

"Usually thank you is enough." Carina replied dryly. There was no need, after all, for the pithy over-emotional reactions of most Gryffindors. Despite common belief, the disease didn't spread quite that quickly.

"Then thank you." Sirius was still worried about their parents' reaction, and there was a reason why he wasn't smiling. But his eyes were warmer, and she had done everything she could. There was no more she was willing to give to help him.

"I suggest you head back, then. After all, it wouldn't do to get caught on our first day here, would it?" Sirius nodded, then left. Perhaps later, after relief and adrenaline weren't quite so distracting, he would wonder why she didn't leave either. But that truly didn't matter; Carina's bull-shitting meter was so well-developed Morgana had been taken in by some of her spur-of-the-moment lies. An eleven-year old Gryffindor she had grown up with for her entire life? He didn't stand a chance.

She stepped forward to ensure the door was locked, when, "It's been a long time since I've been here." Carina turned around. "Over three centuries, in fact."

"What do you want?"

"Not much has changed, really." Morgana's eyes swept over the room dismissively before returning to Carina's face. The mask dropped. "I want to know why you helped your brother."

"Do I not get familial devotion as an option?" Carina crossed over to one of the chairs and sank into one, deliberately annoying Morgana.

"You began all this with me for a reason, love. To be better than your brother." She leaned forward, eyes hard as ice chips. "So why are you assisting him in keeping his influence?"

Carina leaned back. She knew what she could say- there were a million ways to answer that question. But Morgana couldn't understand any of them, and while frustrating her was amusing at times, it was also dangerous. She didn't have any morals, not like Carina did (sometimes, she was certain that a millennia of loneliness had damaged her sanity) and Carina wasn't willing to pay the price for a little fun with Morgana's mind. "Because now there are people who know my capabilities."

It wasn't enough. There was so much more- but sometimes it was better to show the tip of the iceberg before displaying its entirety. By the fires of Heaven and Hell, Carina loved her family. And she would do anything to keep that intact- even sacrifice her dreams.

Not that she would tell Morgana that.


	9. Chapter 9: Who are you?

**Well, I'm back... After delving into Avatar: The Last Airbender for a couple months, too! This was a _long _hiatus, but the next couple chapters should be out in only a few weeks. Writer's block lasted for a really long time, and in the end I decided my old plot wasn't going anywhere. I've changed the path, just slightly, so it might seem different. But it should, hopefully, come together better than my old ideas! Enjoy this one, and I hope to see y'all again, soon.**

**Read and review.**

**-Dialux**

* * *

_"'Breathe, young one. Time has erased the truth, and none can stand before the wave.' Merlin bowed his head, and looked sadder than Lancelot had ever seen him. 'I only hope we can survive for long enough.'"_

_-Merlin to Lancelot in the Battle against the Wild Ones._

* * *

Carina.

_Carina._

_Carina!_

Carina shot up, breathing through her nose, heavily. Screaming was never- had never- been a good idea, even when she slept alone in Grimmauld Place. In Hogwarts, with multiple nosy companions only a door away, the idea wasn't just bad, it was _terrible._

But still, the adrenaline rush hadn't faded. Going back to sleep wouldn't happen, no matter how tired she was- the training of years didn't break as easily as one could have hoped.

Morgana didn't really let her break her habits, either. Waking her up with chilled water and spirit vines that strangled her if she didn't react fast enough were some of the tamer things she'd put Carina through. Just thinking about those nights before she'd been able to defend herself, holding her wand as close as she could but unable to actually master the power, gave her nightmares.

_I have a problem. _The admission didn't really change anything, she thought dryly. _Admitting you have a problem is the first step to curing yourself, indeed. If I tried to lie to myself how could I know what actually went on? I wonder who actually has the luxury of that deception._

And she wasn't just tired because she was awake for one night. This had happened for over a week, and sooner or later people would begin to notice that she wasn't actually sleeping, no matter how good she was at deception.

Her powers weren't strong enough to deflect a focused Morgana. Not yet.

But soon, she would be. And when she was- _No. Bad Carina. Focus on the present, and plan for the future. Revenge is not to be taken until you know what you're taking revenge _for.

Until she was strong enough, she had to try to solve this problem. People danced around her, and she was certain she wasn't good enough. Still- who would dare try to _enchant _a daughter of the House Black? And what else could it be, this cry that threatened to drag her under a quagmire of Fay magic?

A breath to drag her mind under control, and then another to steady her body. There was one thing she could do- but it was _difficult, _to say the least.

In and out, each one slightly longer than the last. In and out, magic funneling through her body with slow ease, sluggish exhaustion fading before the rush of new energy, like snowmelt before sunrise. In and out, and the world faded before her, sinking into her mind smoothly- _elegantly._

Except, at the end, something changed. Where she should have entered her mind, something _shifted, _as if the horizon had turned in on itself, and the sky was at her feet. It was _wrong, _at a basic level.

_What the hell- _a screaming wind tore spines into her flesh, and she couldn't think of anything other than _something-went-wrong_. The pain a normal person felt- the pain on the physical plane-could be suppressed with the right training, but it was the pain of the mind- emotional pain- that hurt the most.

And Carina was _inside _of her mind. There was nowhere to go, no last shield to slink and hide behind if something went wrong. And she was a Slytherin. What was that saying?

_Ah. A Slytherin without a back-up plan is more dangerous than a feral cat cornered in an alleyway. Or a Gryffindor without a sword. Or a Ravenclaw gone mad. Or a Hufflepuff without friends. Heaven forbid any of us actually act different from our House allegiances, or grow up as we get older._

A small part of her realized that she was delirious, but the larger, saner part told her to think past the shrieking bone-deep knowledge that someone had betrayed her. A second wave of spines slammed home, and she fell to her knees. _Pride goeth before the fall. Who could have known? _Tears forced their way out of her control, and she felt herself shaking with both pain and fear.

A voice sounded, rough and deep. A man's voice. And Carina breathed, careful to modulate it to sound ragged and broken. As she did so, the pain faded, and along with it, dulling fog. The answer to that, empty dullness was filled with growing rage. A man- the very same who had driven her to her knees- stood there, not a few feet away. Too far for a Muggle, perhaps, but not so for her. _How dare he-! _She leapt forward, nails becoming claws with little more than thought. She might not have magic or the strongest body. But she was- and if Morgana ever found out about this, she'd kill herself- a _very _good fighter.

_Let him know what it is to be pain-lashed in his mind!_ A swipe of her hand, and he recoiled backwards, a pained roar tearing out of his throat. With her second, she scrabbled at his shoulders, ripping flesh into thin ribbons. Tears blurred her eyes, though, and she had made a fatal mistake from the start.

A second hand separated her from the man, this one larger and rougher, scabbed over as a Master Swordsman. A snap of his fingers, and she was bound in ropes. "None of that, now, little one."

Blinding white rage silenced anything else he might have said. The world dissolved into shades of grey, and she was spitting with impotent fury by the time the first man had gotten to his feet.

"Crazy girl-" she heard, interspersed with various curses, and only satisfaction answered his pain.

Little one.

It was what Morgana called her, and it could only be an insult to her relationship to the woman. _How dare he! _Morgana was her mentor. She was her Liege. She was also the only reason Carina was able to realize her true ambitions. She was damn near the only person who had seen Carina as _Carina, _not just another pretty face. And she was being mocked.

_How-fucking-_dare _he!_

Carina was a daughter of the House of Black. She was the First Witch, and the Ambassador of the Fey. Who would dare to not only capture her in _her own mind _but torture her while they were at it?

The rage crystallized, and she dragged herself back into control. The seething mass rested beneath her skin, roiling and impatient, but under control. For now.

"Who are you?" Blunt, yes. But subtlety was to be used in court and in politics, not on the battlefield. _If this isn't a battlefield, I have no idea what is._

The man she'd attacked smirked, then winced. The scratches looked painful, and she hadn't held back in trying to rip him to shreds. The other, taller and broader, replied grimly, if wryly. "If you haven't figured us out yet, you aren't as brilliant as we've seen you to be."

"Brilliant?" Carina leaned back, desperately trying to look unconcerned. "I walked right into your trap."

"After you resisted for a week." The other man said quietly. "Make no mistake, that is not an easy feat."

She frowned. There was little to glean from the men- but still. Curiosity was one of her worst traits. Who- "I'm asking the wrong questions. Aren't I?" She turned to look at the tall man.

He didn't smile, only inclined his head gravely. "We cannot tell you our names until you name us. In the Otherworld, the rules are not- _kind- _to those who break them."

"Otherworld… You're dead!" The realization felt chilled on her lips, and she bit back curses at the thinner man's thoughtful look.

The other nodded. "Rarely can we interact with those of the mortal world. But Morgana has begun training you in Soul Magic. That forms a- tear, for lack of better words- that can be used by beings of the Otherworld to interact with those of the physical one."

"So I'm a walking hole, and the two of you trapped me in my own mind." Carina retorted. "Why haven't I been trapped before, then? Morgana began my training years ago."

"Very few have the power to even cause a headache," the first man said. "We are anomalies in that world."

Silence. And then- "Gryffindor and Slytherin!" Carina shook with shock.

"About time." Slytherin smiled, slow and deep, like a satisfied predator. "We wondered-"

"If you were worthy," Gryffindor interrupted. Carina's eyes narrowed back. He was hiding something. But before she could ask, he began. "Time shifts, Carina of House Black." His voice was deep with the worn tracks of well-known words. "Time shifts, and with it, comes death. England has held magic in its stronghold for over three thousand years. And few have ever challenged that dominance."

Slytherin winced, sending a questioning glance over to his companion. "On Earth. But there are things coming that have never been seen on Earth for well over ten thousand years, and with them comes the end of the human race."

"Merlin was the first Banisher of the Wild Ones." Both spoke together, quietly. "We were the next. But death and division weakened the seals before we could finish them, and they have grown in power ever since. Take this as a warning, and a caution.

"Dark Lords are simple symptoms. If this army ever reaches earth, there will be no stopping them. Make no mistake, Earth _will _fall, and all those within it will die. In order to survive, in order to let your family, your _world _survive, you must find and complete the Four Quests- before the end of your childhood. The moment you turn seventeen, the seals will break, and they will be released.

"Only then will you have the answers to the power you need. And only then will there be a chance of survival against the Wild Ones."

Slytherin sagged slightly. Gryffindor looked tired and old, now, but also pitying. Carina hated that, more than anything else. "Find the four Elemental Powers, Carina. They will lead you- instinctively- through the Quests."

"I'm not a horse to be led through the Quests, Gryffindor!" Carina struggled against the bonds. "I don't need anyone- or anything- to help me!" Her eyes widened when Slytherin shook his head, condescendingly.

"She is a child, Gryffindor. Leave her be. If the end of the world is near, then either she shall triumph or fail." His eyes were colder than frozen tundra. "Our duty has been served." A howling wind picked up, and Slytherin shouted. "Our ride is here, Godric!"

"We must go." Gryffindor knelt and touched the ropes, letting them fall apart almost as quickly as they'd bound her. "Do not forget, little one."

And he faded into the wind, like smoke from a candle- rising higher and higher until he was as indistinct as the air around him- and then he was gone, leaving Carina struggling to her feet, glaring up at the sky.

Her emergence into the physical world was disappointing, really. The sun had barely risen, Morgana was nowhere to be found, and she still had an hour or so before she'd be missed by anyone.

Still, her hands shook with remembered agony, and there was a ring of black grime along her wrists, fashioned after a Celtic knot. It reminded her of Morgana's arms, and they filled her with helpless fury.

The tattoo- this one in particular- was placed to Quest-Seekers. And Carina was _not _a Quest- Seeker. If anyone found out, though, her life wouldn't be hers any longer. Silence and deception had marred her relationships for long enough; she didn't want to have any more complexity in her life.

That resolve was doomed to failure, though. Quest-Seekers- or anyone bonded to a duty, like Morgana- were to be put to death immediately. The law couldn't touch them, and no bonds could hold as long as the Quest was unfulfilled. Wizards and Witches feared that, as much as they respected it.

And fear in Wizards led to destruction.

Burying her head in her hands, Carina cried furious tears of regret.


End file.
